Oklahoma State vs. Central Michigan football: Five takeaways from Cowboys' Week 1 win
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STILLWATER — Handed the ball with 43 seconds left in the first half and no reason for urgency, 11th-ranked Oklahoma State scored a touchdown with time to spare.
Opening the second half with the ball, the Cowboys scored in even less time.
The track-meet days burning up the turf of Boone Pickens Stadium that felt so long ago were back on Thursday night as the Pokes knocked off Central Michigan 58-44.
And it was done behind an offense conjuring memories of days gone by.
On consecutive possessions immediately before and after halftime, the Cowboys scored on touchdown drives of 32 and 29 seconds, covering 75 and 52 yards, respectively.
None of the first seven scoring drives — before OSU relaxed the pace trying to run out the clock — lasted more than two minutes, averaging just a fraction over 65 seconds each.
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Spencer Sanders, kicking off his fourth season as the starting quarterback, was 28-of-41 passing for a career-high 406 yards and four touchdowns, plus 57 rushing yards and TD runs of 17 and 23 yards.
The Cowboys frequently went with four receivers in the offensive formation, and three of the regulars — Braydon Johnson, Brennan Presley and John Paul Richardson — had at least 70 receiving yards. Johnson led the way with 133 and a touchdown on six catches.
The tempo seemed to exceed that with which the Cowboys played in the rally from a 28-7 deficit for a 37-35 win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl last January.
Offensively, it was a brilliant season opener for an Oklahoma State team with goals of surpassing last year’s 12-2 record. Up next is a home game against Arizona State (6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10).
Here are four more takeaways from the Cowboys’ season-opening win:
Carlson:Spencer Sanders' numbers vs. Central Michigan weren't his most impressive feat
Oklahoma State defense left with questions
Despite a fairly solid first half, the Cowboy defense certainly left something to be desired with its play after halftime.
Central Michigan had just 15 points at the break, but scored at a regular clip afterward and rolled up more than 500 total yards for the game.
OSU defensive coordinator Derek Mason’s debut saw an opponent score more than 40 points for the first time since Texas Tech in November of 2020.
Central Michigan quarterback Daniel Richardson surpassed the 400-yard passing mark, presenting the Cowboy secondary with frequent challenges.
Starting linebackers Xavier Benson and Mason Cobb each had notable moments as they attempt to fill the massive void left by last year’s stars, Malcolm Rodriguez and Devin Harper.
The defense recorded a safety and forced five straight scoreless drives for Central Michigan in the first half, but the second half was a different story.
More: Can Brennan Presley lead Oklahoma State in receiving yards? He's a QB's 'best friend'
Little work for running backs
One of the looming questions as OSU entered the opener was how the offensive coaches would use the running backs, particularly those behind starter Dominic Richardson.
But little was learned on Thursday. As part of the first-team offense, four running backs touched the ball, totaling 17 carries between them.
Among running backs, Richardson had the most carries with nine, followed by Jaden Nixon with five, Ollie Gordon with two and Zach Middleton with one.
Richardson had 61 yards and a touchdown, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. He is set to be the featured back, but the rotation behind him is less clear. If anything was revealed on Thursday, it was that Nixon seems to be the clear No. 2. He and Richardson were the only running backs to touch the ball in the first half.
'We're gonna need him': Oklahoma State receiver Langston Anderson ready to make an impact
Kendal Daniels, Braylin Presley with firsts
A few OSU players managed first-time accomplishments in Thursday’s win.
True freshman receiver Braylin Presley caught his first career pass, an 8-yard gain early in the fourth quarter.
Redshirt freshman Kendal Daniels, who did not start but played a significant amount at safety, had his first career interception in the third quarter. He also led the team with 11 tackles.
And redshirt sophomore running back Zach Middleton scored the first touchdown of his career on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter.
OSU football report card: Defense struggles against Central Michigan, but offense shines
Jaden Bray, Blaine Green miss opener
Reminiscent of last season, the Cowboys were without a couple of pass-catchers who likely would have been starters.
Tight end Blaine Green was not expected to play as a result of a wrist injury suffered early in preseason camp. Receiver Jaden Bray was also out with an undisclosed injury.
No timetable was known for the return of either player.
Other notable absences included backup linebacker Jeff Roberson (foot), who Gundy announced last week was out for the season, and backup running back Deondre Jackson. The redshirt sophomore tweeted on Wednesday that he would not be playing because of a transcript issue following his transfer from Texas A&M over the summer.
More: Why Oklahoma State's Thomas Harper is in line for breakout like older brother Devin Harper
Oklahoma State vs. Central Michigan live updates
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football beats Central Michigan in 2022 season opener
