The Raiders must get up on OSU by 2 plus scores and play downhill. This effort to win out begins and ends with a suffocating Raider defensive effort. The Raiders will need 4- 5 sacks and 7-10 hurries along with a counter rushing effort which allows less than 100 yards by any single OSU back. Say under 40 allowed for Z. Robinson , 75 or less for Toston and 20 yards or less for K. Hunter. Like the effort against the Jayhwaks this battle could easily boil down to who can get their hands up quickest. The OSU O line is a good group and though they have a nicked up key guy just like us i.e. B. Carter. I don’t expect any drop off in their performance. Our Dline performance needs to be stellar. The combination of Howard, Sharpe, Henley, on the outside with Jones and Whitlock/ Graves or Hunter on the interior really needs 3 – 5 tipped passes. I felt those events in the Jones against Kansas really sparked the secondary. The d line just kept taking away offensive series from them. Very nice effort all across the board and note to Marlon Williams don’t trip your own guy when he’s about to score.
No punt returns for more than 5 yards by OSU. What would really be helpful against OSU is to punch every kick off out the back of the end zone. Barring that stuffing the return guy short of the 20 yard line would be fine. Not to get cocky but I feel good about the punter and place kicker duties. Erlexban and M. Williams seem to be in the groove and ignoring the histrionics around them. The coverage teams played like demons against KU and I am hoping Coach Eric Russell will get more of the same. It’s pretty neat to see Aaron Crawford leaping at punters. It would make my day if he could get hand on one against the Cowboys. Just dreaming out load.

Raiders are required to score on every possession. You might recall that is one of the many factors which sunk us in 07 @ Stillwater – missing a 3rd down conversion, and then giving the ball back to OSU in the 4th quarter. The OSU tight end B. Pettigrew then scored on us. Just a hunch but I don’t think OSU really wants to get into a track meet with us – this year. I am basing that on watching the OSU versus Atm and ut. Not to say they wouldn’t be cool with hanging a lot of points on someone it’s just they don’t seem to be able to shut a proficient offense down. Again see aTm and ut in 09.
TTU QB’s must manage the game. It would not surprise me to see Coach Young throw a series of stunts and blitzes at T. Potts. We know what they are telling their secondary – tackle in space. Please tackle in space. On our side it’s a question of not dropping Potts’ laser beams. Then make someone pay. We ought to look a lot like the Cowboys before this one i.e. a balanced rushing attack. As noted before 4 to 1 passing versus rushing yard is balance for the Leach offense. Plus I am hopeful we have more O line blocks in our kit bag than the pokes have stunts in their d line. Sure would be helpful if the RB’s can get up over 100 yards real quick. Even better if they did it before the 4th quarter.
On a moral support note does anyone know if this is a road trip for the Goin band? The Raiders need any friendly noise they can get. I hate those "wall" paddles in B. Pickens stadium.