LOS ANGELES — Tulsa’s Bill Blankenship may be the first coach to open a postgame news conference with “Good morning, everybody.”
No. 7 Oklahoma State’s 59-33 victory over Tulsa was the droopy, eye-lid topper to an outrageous weekend. The game, delayed by inclement weather, kicked off after midnight Sunday morning Central time and ended at 3:35 a.m.
That’s not an ending — it’s a wake-up call.
It was never anyone’s intention, of course, to sleep-deprive kids while roosters cleared their throats. At least it wasn’t a school night, right?
The Oklahoma State-Tulsa game was supposed to start shortly after 9 p.m., a bit late but nothing compared with what Mother Nature had in mind.
You know what Tulsa players were after two quarters? Answer: hungry. It had been hours since the team’s 5 p.m. pregame meal.
“We gave them peanut butter sandwiches at halftime,” Blankenship said.
Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden, who threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns, has witnessed strange things in his 27-plus years. He is a latecomer to college after pursuing a professional baseball dream.
“I’ve played five years of minor-league baseball,” he told said. “I’ve had some late starts and 20-inning games, and still nothing really compares with this. This is a first.”
On a sad note, linebackers coach Glenn Spencer will be away from Oklahoma State indefinitely as he copes with the death of his wife, who recently had a heart transplant.
