By Suzanne Halliburton
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Updated: 8:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, 2011
Published: 8:14 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, 2011
A rare top-10 matchup at Kyle Field
It's difficult to believe, but Saturday's matchup between Oklahoma State and Texas A&M will be only the third game between two top-10 teams ever played at Kyle Field.
The Aggies are ranked eighth; the Cowboys are seventh.
The only other times top-10 teams faced each other in College Station were in 1975 and 1941. Both games were against Texas. The Aggies won in 1975, Longhorns in 1941.
"Really? I was not aware of that," Aggies coach Mike Sherman said. "That's news to me. That seems like it's a little long of a wait, obviously."
This will be the 14th time A&M and its opponent has been ranked in the top 10; the last time was in 1999. A&M has won five of the 13.
OSU coach on leave after wife's death
Oklahoma State co-defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer could miss the game against A&M because of the death of his wife Saturday.
Cowboys Coach Mike Gundy has granted Spencer a leave of absence. Spencer rushed home from Tulsa to Stillwater as Oklahoma State dealt with a weather delay for that game.
Although Tim DeRuyter doesn't really know Spencer — they share a mutual friend — the news shook up the Aggies defensive coordinator.
DeRuyter's voice cracked and he had to pause to collect himself when asked about Spencer on Monday afternoon. DeRuyter said it brought back memories of when his older brother, John, died unexpectedly on Halloween 2005.
"Our thoughts and prayers absolutely go out to coach Spencer and his family," DeRuyter said. "It's tough. Real tough. You get in the games and the games are fun to compete, but you realize it's not the most important thing in times like that.
"Life goes on, you get in the vacuum and you think all that matters is football and games, but it's tough. We'll battle our hearts out on Saturday, but we absolutely wish the best for him and his family. He's got two high-school age sons and I can't imagine ... it was a gut shot (when he heard the news). We just wish the very best for him and his family."
Spencer's 46-year-old wife had a heart transplant in January 2010.
"I told (Spencer) he could come back whenever he wanted," Gundy said. "He could come back in three days, five days or two weeks. What he's going to have to go through with the next week or so with his family and his boys ... he needs to be with them and he's free to stay and do whatever he wants to do."
No kickoff time yet for A&M-Arkansas
Fans will have to wait until early next week to learn the kickoff time for A&M's Oct. 1 game with Arkansas at Cowboys Stadium. Because the Razorbacks are listed as the home team, the game falls under the Southeastern Conference TV contract. Hmm, a taste of things to come for A&M, perhaps?
But the time slots are similar to the Big 12's. It will either be 11 a.m. on ESPN, 2:30 p.m. on CBS or 7 p.m. on either ESPN or CBS.
Updated: 8:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, 2011
Published: 8:14 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, 2011
It's difficult to believe, but Saturday's matchup between Oklahoma State and Texas A&M will be only the third game between two top-10 teams ever played at Kyle Field.
The Aggies are ranked eighth; the Cowboys are seventh.
The only other times top-10 teams faced each other in College Station were in 1975 and 1941. Both games were against Texas. The Aggies won in 1975, Longhorns in 1941.
"Really? I was not aware of that," Aggies coach Mike Sherman said. "That's news to me. That seems like it's a little long of a wait, obviously."
This will be the 14th time A&M and its opponent has been ranked in the top 10; the last time was in 1999. A&M has won five of the 13.
OSU coach on leave after wife's death
Oklahoma State co-defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer could miss the game against A&M because of the death of his wife Saturday.
Cowboys Coach Mike Gundy has granted Spencer a leave of absence. Spencer rushed home from Tulsa to Stillwater as Oklahoma State dealt with a weather delay for that game.
Although Tim DeRuyter doesn't really know Spencer — they share a mutual friend — the news shook up the Aggies defensive coordinator.
DeRuyter's voice cracked and he had to pause to collect himself when asked about Spencer on Monday afternoon. DeRuyter said it brought back memories of when his older brother, John, died unexpectedly on Halloween 2005.
"Our thoughts and prayers absolutely go out to coach Spencer and his family," DeRuyter said. "It's tough. Real tough. You get in the games and the games are fun to compete, but you realize it's not the most important thing in times like that.
"Life goes on, you get in the vacuum and you think all that matters is football and games, but it's tough. We'll battle our hearts out on Saturday, but we absolutely wish the best for him and his family. He's got two high-school age sons and I can't imagine ... it was a gut shot (when he heard the news). We just wish the very best for him and his family."
Spencer's 46-year-old wife had a heart transplant in January 2010.
"I told (Spencer) he could come back whenever he wanted," Gundy said. "He could come back in three days, five days or two weeks. What he's going to have to go through with the next week or so with his family and his boys ... he needs to be with them and he's free to stay and do whatever he wants to do."
No kickoff time yet for A&M-Arkansas
Fans will have to wait until early next week to learn the kickoff time for A&M's Oct. 1 game with Arkansas at Cowboys Stadium. Because the Razorbacks are listed as the home team, the game falls under the Southeastern Conference TV contract. Hmm, a taste of things to come for A&M, perhaps?
But the time slots are similar to the Big 12's. It will either be 11 a.m. on ESPN, 2:30 p.m. on CBS or 7 p.m. on either ESPN or CBS.
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