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Oklahoma State's 70-28 victory over Kansas was one of the most stress-free games Mike Gundy has been a part of. The Cowboys led by 49 at halftime, and much of his time was spent evaluating backup players.
But he did face one difficult decision on Saturday: When to send his starters to the bench.
That's a question most coaches will have to answer when facing the Jayhawks this season. After allowing 66 points to Georgia Tech, 45 to Texas Tech and 70 to Oklahoma State, their defense is struggling at record-breaking levels.
Things might not get better anytime soon. No. 3 Oklahoma is next. After that comes No. 17 Kansas State and No. 22 Texas.
Bob Stoops, Bill Snyder and Mack Brown will likely have to decide whether to run up the score on the Jayhawks or show them mercy.
"It's one of the more frustrating situations, because you're not sure how to handle it," Stoops said Monday about routs. "You want your young guys that are in there to keep playing. It can be difficult."
The debate is more difficult at the college level than anywhere else. In high school, coaches are admonished for running up the score against inferior opponents. At the professional level, everyone is paid to be on the field. There is no such thing as running up the score.
In college football, coaches must decide whether to show sportsmanship or boost their own team's image. Remember, margin of victory can influence voters.
Gundy opted to pull his starters late in the second quarter, when Oklahoma State possessed a 49-7 lead.
"I don't see any reason why the other young men who are in our program that have worked hard and don't get a chance to play as much to not have an opportunity to get on the field," Gundy said. "Especially playing at home in front of their friends and family."
He thought it was a nice bonus for Oklahoma State's reserves to play extensively, but he would have preferred to see his starters get a little more time together. Not even halfway through the season, live game action is important for improvement.
Stoops thinks the Sooners need to continue progressing if they want to compete for a national championship.
"At the end of the day, heck, the other team needs to stop you," Stoops said. "It's only our fifth game. We're not playing as well overall as we can, so let's push for that."
It's the same opinion he had in 2003, when Oklahoma played in the national title game and beat Texas A&M 77-0 late in the season.
Not so easy
Texas is coming off a blowout loss and Oklahoma State is coming off a blowout win. But that doesn't mean the Cowboys are in for an easy game in Austin this week. The Longhorns are 13-0 the week after the Red River Shootout under Mack Brown.
Welcoming the frogs
Big 12 coaches unanimously supported the addition of TCU to the Big 12 on Monday. K-State coach Bill Snyder called the Horned Frogs "an extremely fine program. I think they will be very competitive in the league." Added Brown: "TCU seems to be a perfect fit from my standpoint."
The Wright stuff
Coming into the season, it seemed like Ryan Broyles and Justin Blackmon would fight for the title of the Big 12's top wide receiver. Both were coming off big seasons, and are considered centerpieces of high- powered offenses. But they are competing with Kendall Wright for that honor. The Baylor receiver leads the Big 12 in catches (48) yards (690) and touchdowns (8). He won't enter the Heisman Trophy race like Broyles and Blackmon, but he is having a sensational season.
This week's games
Must-see: Baylor at Texas A&M, Oklahoma State at Texas
Worth watching: Kansas State at Texas Tech
If you're desperate: Iowa State at Missouri
Stay away: Oklahoma at Kansas
Next week's games
Kansas State at Kansas, 11 a.m. (FSKC, Ch. 34)
Oklahoma State at Missouri, 11 a.m. (FX, Ch. 31)
Texas A&M at Iowa State, 2:30 p.m. (KAKE, Ch. 10)
Texas Tech at Oklahoma, 7 p.m. (KAKE, Ch. 10)
Power Rankings
1. Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0)
Should still be No. 1 in both polls
2. Oklahoma State (5-0, 2-0)
Cowboys ready for angry Longhorns
3. Kansas State (5-0, 2-0)
One of the nation's biggest surprises
4. Baylor (4-1, 1-1)
Nice bounce-back win against Iowa State
5. Texas (4-1, 1-1)
Pathetic showing in Dallas
6. Texas A&M (3-2, 1-1)
Vandalized buses? No problem
7. Texas Tech (4-1, 1-1)
Closer to 5-0 than many expected
8. Iowa State (3-2, 0-2)
Glow beginning to fade after fast start
9. Missouri (2-3, 0-2)
Tigers have real problems
10. Kansas (2-3, 0-2)
Worst team in major-college football?
