Cowboys searching for ways to score

? After his first loss as Oklahoma State’s coach, Mike Gundy is getting plenty of input on how to make the Cowboys’ no-huddle offense more effective.

Two days after Oklahoma State’s 34-0 loss to Colorado, the first-year coach had already received 50 e-mails from fans.

“People are saying the offense is no good, you need to huddle up,” Gundy said.

Gundy said most of the e-mails were negative, but some of the writers know what they are talking about.

“I read my e-mails. I read them not because I want to fire back and say, ‘You are wrong.’ I read them because I want information. Any information I can get is good information,” Gundy said.

“My responsibility is to weed out those people who are clueless and what information can actually help me.”

Long streak ended

The loss to Colorado was the first time since 2000 that Oklahoma State was shutout and the first time it was held scoreless at home since 1991. But heading into this week’s game against Missouri (2-2, 0-1 Big 12), which features the worst defense in the Big 12, the Cowboys (3-1, 0-1) remain confident.

“Our players are upbeat and the coaches are upbeat after a tough loss,” Gundy said. “We are looking forward to a new challenge this week.”

Both Oklahoma State and Missouri, which lost 51-20 to No. 2 Texas last week, are looking for their first conference win.

“We understand that they lost a game; we both lost one and obviously, we both want one back and that’s natural as competitors,” Tigers coach Gary Pinkel said. “This will be a challenge like every other one.”

Missouri has won its last three games in Stillwater, dating back to a 24-15 win in 1994. The Tigers also picked up a 41-38 win in triple overtime in 2001 and a 51-50 win in double overtime in 1997.

MU defense primed

Pinkel said he thinks his defense, which has given up 33.5 points per game, will be ready to face the Cowboys.

“I’ve been here before, and what you do is you keep working it and working it, and you’re going to come up with four turnovers in one game and you’re going to get rolling,” said Pinkel.

Gundy, whose Cowboys are averaging only 14.5 points, is still positive about his young team and hasn’t given up.

“They are doing everything they are supposed to do,” Gundy said.