Tramel: OSU report card is high on the Cowboy defense after beating Tulsa

The Cowboys well-covered Tulsa receivers who at times last season made big plays. TU quarterback Zach Smith consistently had to throw short, which explains why he had just 164 yards on 18-of-28 passing. Only twice did Smith complete passes that went more than 15 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Williams and fellow cornerback Jarrick Benard-Converse mostly shut off the Hurricane intermediate game.

Halftime: D.

With no marching band, halftime was dead. A video of the OSU band doesn’t do the trick. The apparent national ban on marching bands is puzzling. By definition, bands practice social distancing on the field. Sitting close in the stands might be a problem, but above where the 80 pep-band musicians sat was a bunch of empty grandstands. Seems like we could find a solution that would put marching bands back on the field.

Kicking game: A.

Solid in every way. New kicker Alex Hale made all three of his field-goal attempts, including a 40-yarder that gave OSU a 13-7 lead with 4:27 left. Punter Tom Hutton showed improvement, with a 41.8-yard average and no discernible returns. Dillon Stoner had a 34-yard punt return.

Offensive line: C.

The Cowboy blockers were not good for much of the game. Through three quarters, Tulsa had six sacks and OSU tailbacks Chuba Hubbard and L.D. Brown combined for 83 yards on 24 carries. But some personnel adjustments —guard Cole Birmingham and tackle Hunter Anthony went out, in came Hunter Woodard and Jake Springfield — and some halftime adjustments paid off. The latter included more cutback plays. In the fourth quarter, OSU produced a 5½-minute drive to a field goal that included 48 yards on nine tailback runs, and Illingworth had some time to throw.