Big plays provide balance for No. 16 Oklahoma State

Sunday, October 10th 2004, 3:29 pm

By: News On 6

Oklahoma State has shown over and over again this season that it's a powerful threat to run the ball against any opponent. Then, at the very moment an opposing defense is lulled into thinking the deep ball will never come, the Cowboys have proven they're a threat to do that, too.

Just ask Colorado.

Trailing 14-0 with only seconds to go before halftime, the Buffaloes relaxed for one play against the run-heavy Cowboys, who already had a 100-yard rusher in Vernand Morency and had rarely chosen to throw downfield _ or throw at all _ early in the season.

With one 58-yard heave, the Cowboys (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) struck a deflating blow against Colorado and took a controlling 21-0 edge into the locker room at halftime.

The long toss from Donovan Woods to Prentiss Elliott was the longest pass play of the season for a team that entered the game with five times as many rushing attempts (236) as passing attempts (47). Even Elliott was surprised with the call.

Colorado, which left the speedy freshman in one-on-one coverage, was definitely caught off-guard.

Later on, Woods would add a 53-yard TD throw later in the game to brother D'Juan Woods as the Cowboys flexed their muscle in a new area.

Heading into the season, Woods was a question mark at quarterback. The redshirt freshman was considered a running threat, but it was uncertain whether he'd be successful throwing the ball in a major college conference. That's beginning to change now.

Against Colorado, Woods had career-highs with 193 passing yards and three touchdowns.

``We are starting to get used to that style of play from him now,'' Cowboys coach Les Miles said.

The Cowboys also got their usual steady contribution from the run game. Morency had his seventh straight regular-season 100-yard game to lead a 236-yard performance on the ground.

Morency scored on a 58-yard run on Oklahoma State's third play to set the tone early and added a 6-yard TD run to make it 14-0 in the second quarter.

With Woods and Morency both clicking, Oklahoma State finally achieved something Miles has been seeking all season: balance. It's something the Cowboys, who moved up from No. 22 to No. 16 after the win, will likely need increasingly as they face stiffening competition. In the next three weeks, the Pokes will play Texas A&M, Missouri and Oklahoma _ the three other teams that have 2-0 records in Big 12 play.

``I have belief that we are a pretty good football team,'' Miles said. ``With each opportunity and win we get versus good teams, we gain more confidence in ourselves.''