Flashback: Halting Husker History
Oklahoma State finished 8-5 in 2002, OK by today’s standards.
Monumental at the time.
And the impact of that season, even though it was far from flawless, still resonates today.
There are many wins from that schedule to enjoy, none more than a Bedlam romp.
But one stands out historically: a 24-21 conquest of Nebraska.
Before that day, Oct. 19, the Cowboys hadn’t beaten the Huskers since 1961. Since JFK was alive and in office. The year the Berlin Wall was built. The year Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbited the earth, the first human to do so.
After losing two straight to open the series in 1960-61, Nebraska simply dominated the series through the Big Eight and into the Big 12, going 35-0-1 into the new millennium. There was a 17-17 tie in Stillwater in 1973, but mostly the Huskers owned OSU, even when the Cowboys sent out some strong teams, including a stretch when they had Thurman Thomas, Barry Sanders, Hart Lee Dykes, Mike Gundy and more.
It was ugly.
And then it wasn’t.
Amazingly so, as the win over NU served as a breakthrough and a breakout to the season.
Nebraska didn’t bring one of its powerhouse squads to Stillwater that day, but the Huskers were 5-2 and could still carry a sense of superiority, since no player had been alive when OSU last won in the series.
Furthermore, the Cowboys were still trying to find traction to the season after entering 2002 with elevated hopes built on their season-ending win over Oklahoma in Norman, but stumbling at the start.
They opened with a 39-36 loss to Louisiana Tech in Shreveport, blowing a 36-18 late-third quarter lead. From there, OSU beat Northern Iowa, lost to UCLA and beat SMU to stand 2-2 entering Big 12 play.
The conference schedule opened with a heartbreaking loss, 17-15 at unbeaten Texas, when Rashaun Woods was stopped just short of a two-point conversion pass that would have tied the score late.
The following week, the Pokes were pounded, literally, at Kansas State, falling 44-9 on a night when they were left bruised physically – with several players injured – as well as mentally.
Truly, OSU limped into its meeting with Nebraska, at 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the Big 12.
But the Pokes proved they had character, and a firm foundation, finding themselves in a game that featured a morning kickoff and by mid-afternoon saw the Lewis Field goalposts ripped down and paraded through town.
The Cowboys took the game, too, with Josh Fields throwing for two scores and running for another, while Tatum Bell ran for a then-career-high 182 yards. OSU outgained the Huskers and produced more big plays, then when Nebraska threatened a late rally, turned it aside and ran out the clock on a win long overdue.
Second-year coach Les Miles had downplayed the long dry streak in the series during the week, but couldn’t deny the importance of the win any longer once it was secured.
“It becomes a nice memory for the coaching staff and the players,” Miles said. “It becomes a great point where having done something new and different at Oklahoma State, they write their name down in the history books as the team that changed that tradition of losing to Nebraska.
“The people who might appreciate it most are those people who have had to bear the length of that tradition through time, where good Oklahoma State teams finished just short of that goal. Today we didn't.”
The players on the field appreciated it, too.
“It's the biggest win I've ever been a part of," said senior offensive tackle Jason Russell. “It's huge. And it hit me then. We've been losing to these guys for 41 years and we came out and we won.”
The Cowboys trailed 7-3 at the half, partly due to poor field position throughout the first two quarters. But they claimed the lead for good midway through the third quarter on Fields’ touchdown run, then extended it to 17-7 with a familiar Fields-to-Rashaun Woods TD connection.
And when the Huskers threatened late, OSU didn’t falter.
“It's easily the best game we've played this season,” Miles said. “We beat a good football team. We played in a tight ball game, the duration, and won. We played that style of game earlier this season and didn't have the same outcome. This is what you point for.
“Really, across the board, it was a program win.”
The Cowboys beat Texas A&M the following week to confirm an upward trajectory, and won six of their final seven overall, capped by a Houston Bowl victory over Southern Miss, OSU's first bowl win since 1988.
The Pokes beat Nebraska twice more among four final meetings before the Huskers bolted the Big 12 for the Big Ten, with both wins routs.
Arguably, the season – and the fortunes of the program – pivoted with the 2002 win on Lewis Field over the Huskers.
Before all that, however, the Cowboys and their fans enjoyed the moment – in full – with little resistance. Gundy, then the offensive coordinator, was spotted joining in with fans and students as they marched with a section of goalpost.
“Fans are encouraged not to climb over the wall,” public address announcer Larry Reece said, “please use the stairways.”
Athletic director Harry Birdwell had already ordered new goal posts, at a cost of $6,000, anticipating a big win.
“Best money we ever spent,” Birdwell said.
