Sophomore running back Kendall Hunter had his first career start in last year’s loss at Troy. Hunter is eighth in the nation in rushing and, the Cowboys are second in rushing yards per game.
Oklahoma State is coming off three impressive wins.
This weekend, however, might prove to be a bigger test for the Cowboys.
OSU will play Troy (2-1) Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium after having last week off.
Although on paper the Cowboys should beat the Trojans, coaches say that Troy might be the toughest test so far.
The Trojans went 8-4 last season in the Sun Belt Conference. Troy also had an impressive win aginst OSU last season beating the Cowboy’s 41-23 in Alabama.
Robinson says the Cowboys (3-0) are not looking at this game as a chance for revenge.
“The fans and [the media] can call this a revenge game, but it’s just another game for us,” Robinson said. “It’s a chance for us to be 4-0 and keep our goals in mind.
“We feel like this is a must win for us, and we’re going to play like that.”
Coach Mike Gundy said it might be natural for the team to want to get revenge against Troy but good preparation would be a better way to approach the game.
“I would say that there is some human instincts for the player [to want revenge],” Gundy said. “I would recommend to them that they prepare and study the game plan, practice well and go out and play hard. That’s what I would recommend, instead of trying to gain revenge on somebody.
“I’ve never felt that way, but I would say there is a natural reaction for the players to feel that way. I don’t know if that has ever helped anyone win a contest. I think if you go prepare and play hard you have just as good of a chance.”
Although Troy might seem an inferior opponent to the Cowboys, they are not a team to look past on the schedule.
Troy held No. 14 Ohio State to 28 points last week in Columbus, Ohio, and had six more yards offensively than the Buckeyes. This could prove to be difficult for the Cowboy defense as well.
Defensive coordinator Tim Beckman said the Troy offense is similar to last year’s team that put up 562 yards against the Cowboys.
“It’s not much different,” Beckman said. “The offense is exactly the same. The quarterback is different.
“He’s not a senior, not an All-American candidate; but he is a good football player.
“He has taken over, and you can see him build confidence each week that he is out there on the field, but as a whole the offense is very similar to what it was last year.”
The Cowboys have also had an impressive season so far.
OSU is outscoring its opponents by nearly 30 points per game, and the Cowboys have already recorded more than 1,600 yards of offense.
OSU is sitting just outside of the rankings at No. 27, but a solid performance Saturday could be enough to boost the Cowboys into the rankings for the first time since November 2004.
Gundy said that in college football, a team has to play hard from start to finish to reach the top.
“We have to be able to play well and perform and stay focused on the goal,” Gundy said.
“One thing about college football is that we’re in a playoff system every game. It’s not like other sports where you can start off slow and get going and find out where you’re at.
“In college football you have to go from start to finish and get ready for the next one.”
OSU will have to go and perform well against a good Troy team on Saturday to earn a victory.
Gundy said the Trojans are going to make plays and will be a tough contest defensively for the Cowboys.
The coaches and team have a good idea of how the Trojans are going to play based on last year’s game.
Troy’s previous three games of the season , and the Cowboys said they feel that they are well prepared for a win.
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