Published: September 07, 2008 10:09 pm         

Bryant, Hunter dynamic duo for OSU

STILLWATER — Going into the season, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy figured the top priority of opposing defenses was to stop quarterback Zac Robinson and tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Saturday night’s performances of Dez Bryant and Kendall Hunter may have altered those priorities.

The duo each posted career highs in a 56-37 win over Houston in the home opener at the refurbished Boone Pickens Stadium. Bryant had 236 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Hunter added 210 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

It marked the first time in school history OSU had a 200-yard rusher and 200-yard receiver in the same game.

“Now when teams break tape down, their concern obviously is No. 1 (Bryant), then their concern is (No.) 24 (Hunter) and then (No.) 87 (Pettigrew) and (No.) 11 (Robinson),” Gundy said. “Prior to the first game, I don’t think it was that way.”

Bryant and Hunter, both sophomores from southeast Texas, torched their native state in the air and on the ground. Keyed by their efforts, OSU finished with 699 total yards of offense, the second most in school history.

Bryant’s 236 yards were the second most receiving yards in school history. Only Adarius Bowman’s epic 300-yard performance at Kansas in 2006 topped Bryant. Bryant had touchdown catches of 39, 29 and 74 yards.

He added his first career punt return for a touchdown with a 71 yard jaunt for OSU’s final score in the fourth quarter.

“Dez has continued to mature,” Gundy said. “he’s playing more plays than he’s ever played before. He shows more consistency in what he’s doing.”

And the Lufkin, Texas, native made his share of highlight-reel plays. On his first touchdown, Bryant out jumped Houston’s Quinte Williams to haul in Robinson’s pass. The score, which came with 1:23 left in the second quarter, helped the Cowboys overcame three first-half turnovers to trail just 16-14 at halftime.

“They expect us to come out and make big plays,“ Bryant said. “I feel like we can do that.”

In the third quarter, Bryant scored a screen pass from Robinson and turned it into a 74-yard touchdown, the longest reception of his career. Bryant also got some help from fellow receiver Damian Davis, who delivered two blocks on the play to help spring him free.

“I’ve never seen that before on a play,” co-offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer said of Davis’ blocks.

Hunter, from Tyler, Texas, got off to a blazing start. Hunter scored his first touchdown on a career long 58-yard touchdown on OSU’s third offensive play for an early 7-0 lead.

He later added a 10-yard score on a cutback run in the third quarter.

Hunter led a running attack that tallied 379 yards on 51 carries, an average of 7.4 yards per carry. Hunter averaged 9.5 yards on his 22 attempts.

Not even former OSU star RB-WR combos such as Barry Sanders-Hart Lee Dykes, Tatum Bell-Rashaun Woods or Savage-Bowman accomplished what the Hunter-Bryant duo managed to do.

But, Hunter, who was swarmed for postgame interview requests, did not go into great detail about the historic offensive outburst.

“We aren’t worried about (stats), we’re worried about the win,” said the quiet Hunter.



Game Notes

• Antoine done — Junior safety Lucien Antoine, a prized junior college recruit for OSU, suffered a torn ACL against Houston and will miss the rest of the season.

• Missing 700-club — OSU drove the ball inside the Houston during the final minute of Saturday’s game. But the Cowboys took a knee on the final play, losing a yard and finishing with 699 yards of offense.

• First start — Senior DB T.J. Bell and sophomore WR Damian Davis each made their first career starts against Houston.

• Good estimation — OSU officials anticipated 45,000 fans for Saturday’s opener in the newly-renovated Boone Pickens Stadium. The announced attendance was 45,0001..