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RECAP: Oklahoma State cruises past Southeastern Louisiana 61-7

That went exactly how it should have. Pokes roll.

By Cade Webb
NCAA Football: Southeastern Louisiana at Oklahoma State Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma State kicked off their 2016 season this afternoon against Southeastern Louisiana, and it went about exactly how most of us thought it would. There were some bright spots, some low spots, and a whole lot of "okay, that's fine." On a day where the starters played for about a whole quarter and a half, there's not a lot that can be drawn from today.

Mason Rudolph looked good, Barry J. Sanders showed off in his Oklahoma State debut, and the defense as a whole looked better than I expected. There were lots of highlights in this game, so let's go ahead and get to it.

Here are some thoughts I had during the game:

  • The first-string offensive line definitely looked improved from last season. There were holes there that simply weren’t last season. That being said ...
  • The uniforms looked incredible on TV. The equipment staff brought the fire against Southeastern Louisiana. Can you imagine what they're going to throw at Baylor in three weeks? The reflective brand on the helmet was an awesome touch on an old classic, and the design on the back bumper was fantastic.
  • I didn’t like how quickly the starters were pulled in this game. I especially didn’t like bringing them back in the second half. People a lot smarter than myself are making those decisions, but in the first game of the season and it’s not completely out of hand, I would’ve let the starters work longer than they did in the first half.
  • Mason Rudolph looked like a more well-rounded quarterback than he has previously in his career. There was a noticeable zip on the ball, and he made a couple of Tony Romo-esque moves in the pocket. He was putting on his best Baker Mayfield impression, except this one was better and resulted in a win. We have rarely seen Rudolph's ability to extend a play, but if OSU get's this kind of play from Rudolph this season ... Watch out.
  • Barry J. Sanders was electric on the few touches he had tonight. We heard a lot about his running style, and what we heard was the complete opposite of what we saw. He’s got some serious open field ability, and he showcased it on this punt return (and it was definitely a touchdown.) How cool was it to see a Barry Sanders putting on a show on the turf at Boone Pickens Stadium?
  • Justice Hill looked really fast. It did not take long to figure out what the coaches saw in him over the offseason. His ability puts him in the same category with three senior running backs, and he might be the best option out of all of them at some point in the season.
  • OSU only rushed for 139 yards on 38 carries. That's a 3.7 YPC average, and that will have to get better as the season goes on because obviously.
  • Taylor Cornelius came into the game in the 4th quarter and led OSU on a pretty impressive touchdown drive, all things considered. He showed the ability to tuck the ball and run, and made a few throws in the process.
  • We're going to find out a lot more about this team in the near future with Central Michigan and Pittsburgh coming to Stillwater soon. I think today, more than anything, was a game to break the rust off, and we shouldn't over-analyze here. Can't be upset about a 61-7 win.
  • OU got thumped by Houston today, and it was glorious. #NeverOU

Up Next: Central Michigan, 9/10, 11 AM

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