1985 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team

American college football season

1985 Oklahoma State Cowboys football

Gator Bowl, L 23–34 vs. Florida State

Conference| Big Eight Conference
Record| 8–4 (4–3 Big 8)
Head coach|

* Pat Jones (2nd season)

Offensive coordinator| Larry Coker (3rd season)
Home stadium| Lewis Field

Seasons

<- 1984

1986 ->

1985 Big Eight Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 1 Oklahoma $  | 7  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 11  | - | 1  | - | 0
No. 11 Nebraska | 6  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
Oklahoma State | 4  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 4  | - | 0
Colorado | 4  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 5  | - | 0
Iowa State | 3  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Kansas | 2  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 6  | - | 0
Kansas State | 1  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 10  | - | 0
Missouri | 1  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 10  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

Rankings from AP Poll

The 1985 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team represented Oklahoma State University in the Big Eight Conference during the 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their second season under head coach Pat Jones, the Cowboys compiled an 8–4 record (4–3 against conference opponents), tied for third place in the conference, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 255 to 188.[1][2]

The team's statistical leaders included Thurman Thomas with 1,650 rushing yards and 102 points scored, Ronnie Williams with 1,757 passing yards, and Bobby Riley with 659 receiving yards.[3][4]

The team played its home games at Lewis Field in Stillwater, Oklahoma.[5]

## Schedule[edit]

Date| Opponent| Rank| Site| TV| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

September 7| at No. 12 Washington*| No. 16|

* Husky Stadium
* Seattle, WA

| | W 31–17| 59,205| [6]
September 14| North Texas State*| No. 8|

* Lewis Field
* Stillwater, OK

| | W 10–9| 49,100| [7][8]
September 28| Miami (OH)*| No. 7|

* Lewis Field
* Stillwater, OK

| | W 45–10| | [9]
October 5| Tulsa*| No. 6|

* Lewis Field
* Stillwater, OK (rivalry)

| | W 25–13| 49,400| [10]
October 12| No. 9 Nebraska| No. 5|

* Lewis Field
* Stillwater, OK

| | L 24–34| 50,400| [11]
October 26| at Kansas| No. 12|

* Memorial Stadium
* Lawrence, KS

| | W 17–10| 35,200|
November 2| at Colorado| No. 12|

* Folsom Field
* Boulder, CO

| | W 14–11| 35,860|
November 9| Kansas State| No. 10|

* Lewis Field
* Stillwater, OK

| | W 35–3| 50,000|
November 16| at Missouri| No. 10|

* Faurot Field
* Columbia, MO

| | W 21–19| |
November 23| at Iowa State| No. 7|

* Cyclone Stadium
* Ames, IA

| | L 10–15| 40,025|
November 30| No. 3 Oklahoma| No. 17|

* Lewis Field
* Stillwater, OK (Bedlam Series)

| | L 0–13| 44,000|
December 30| vs. No. 18 Florida State*| No. 19|

* Gator Bowl Stadium
* Jacksonville, FL (Gator Bowl)

| ABC| L 23–34| 79,417| [12]

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming
* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

## Personnel[edit]

1985 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

WR | `` | Lynn Beck
OL | `` | Paul Blair
TE | `` | Kenneth Brown
OL | `` | Derek Burton
TE | `` | J.R. Dillard
WR | `` | Hart Lee Dykes | Fr
QB | `` | Roderick Gaines
RB | `` | Harold Greene
RB | `` | Garrett Limbrick
RB | `` | Curtis Luper
OL | `` | Doug Meacham
RB | `` | Joe Miller
RB | `` | Mitch Nash
QB | `` | Rusty Rankin
WR | `` | Bob Riley
OL | `` | Chuck Shanklin
RB | `34` | Thurman Thomas | So
RB | `` | Will Timmons
OL | `` | David Tucker
WR | `` | Terry Wemer
QB | `` | Ronnie Williams
Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

LB | `` | Ricky Adams
DB | `` | Melvin Gilliam
LB | `` | James Ham
DL | `` | Dana Hawkins
DB | `` | Mike Hudson
DB | `44` | Mark Moore | Jr
DL | `` | Leslie O'Neal
DL | `` | Ricky Shaw
DL | `` | Warren Thompson
DL | `` | Brian Fitzgerald
DL | `` | John Washington
DB | `` | DeMise Williams
DB | `` | Windell Yancy
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

P | `` | Cary Cooper
K | `` | Brad Dennis
K | `` | Joey O'Donnell
P | `` | Rich Thompson

Head coach

* Pat Jones

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

## Game summaries[edit]

### Oklahoma[edit]

See also: 1985 Oklahoma Sooners football team and Bedlam Series

#3 Oklahoma Sooners (8–1) at #17 Oklahoma State Cowboys (8–2)

Period | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

Oklahoma | 0 | 10 | 0| 3| 13
Oklahoma St | 0 | 0 | 0| 0| 0

at Lewis Field, Stillwater, Oklahoma

* Date: November 30
* Game time: 7:30 p.m. EST
* Game weather: low 20s
* Game attendance: 44,000
* TV: ESPN
* [13]

Game information

First quarter

* No scoring

Second quarter

* OU – Tim Lashar 27-yard field goal. Oklahoma 3–0. Drive:
* OU – Spencer Tillman 3-yard run (Tim Lashar kick). Oklahoma 10–0. Drive:

Third quarter

* No scoring

Fourth quarter

* OU – Tim Lashar 30-yard field goal, 5:44. Oklahoma 13–0. Drive:

Top passers

* OU – Jamelle Holieway – 4/5, 54 yards, INT
* OSU – Ronnie Williams – 5/25, 32 yards, INT

Top rushers

* OU – Lydell Carr – 24 rushes, 78 yards
* OSU – Thurman Thomas – 23 rushes, 100 yards

Top receivers

* OU – Damon Stell – 1 reception, 31 yards
* OSU – Kenneth Brown – 1 reception, 15 yards

|

## After the season[edit]

The 1986 NFL Draft was held on April 29–30, 1986. The following Cowboys were selected.[14]

Round  | Pick  | Player  | Position  | NFL club

|
|
|
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1 | 8 | Leslie O'Neal | Defensive end | San Diego Chargers
3 | 73 | John Washington | Defensive end | New York Giants
4 | 110 | Paul Blair | Tackle | Chicago Bears

## References[edit]

1. ^ "1985 Oklahoma State Cowboys Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
2. ^ "Oklahoma State Cowboy Football 2016 Guide" (PDF). Oklahoma State University. p. 173\. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
3. ^ 2016 Football Guide, pp. 168, 170.
4. ^ "1985 Oklahoma State Cowboys Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
5. ^ 2016 Football Guide, pp. 217, 219.
6. ^ "Thomas runs, passes Cowboys over Huskies 31-17". The Courier-Journal. Associated Press. September 8, 1985. p. C8 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Oklahoma State resists North Texas State's bid". Florida Today. September 15, 1985. Retrieved October 30, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Rally by NTSU falls short against Oklahoma State". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 15, 1985. p. 15B - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ Tom Kensler (September 29, 1985). "Thomas' TDs Propel Pokes To 45-10 Win". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 1C - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ Tom Kensler (October 6, 1985). "Williams, Defense Lift OSU, 25-13". The Daily Oklahoman. pp. 1C, 4C - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ Tom Kensler (October 13, 1985). "Nebraska's Offense Stings OSU". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 1C - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ Tom Kensler (December 31, 1985). "Seminoles Shock Cowboys, 34-23". The Daily Oklahoman. pp. 17, 20 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1985 Dec 01.
14. ^ "1986 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 13, 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Oklahoma State Cowboys football

Venues|

* Boone Pickens Stadium (1920–present)
* Sherman E. Smith Training Center

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Oklahoma: Bedlam Series
* Tulsa

Culture & lore|

* Bullet
* Pistol Pete
* "The Waving Song"
* "Ride 'Em Cowboys"
* Marching band
* 1951 Drake game
* 2011 Iowa State game
* 2015 homecoming parade attack

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
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National championship seasons in bold
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number