Oklahoma State’s defense showed up at the onset against Central Michigan, creating the safety that flipped the momentum of the game early. It held strong for most of the first half, facilitating a 30-0 run by the Cowboys’ offense and allowing OSU to take a four-score lead into halftime.
But the young faces of Derek Mason’s group showed growing pains, and the Chippewas chipped away at the Cowboys’ lead, coming to within 14 in the final minutes, making for a less-than-ideal box score for a defense that was considered one of the nation’s best last year.
So should fans up the prescription to their heart medications and resign themselves to the old-fashioned Big 12 shootouts of yesteryear?