A wet, dreary day in Waco, Texas last November brought rays of light that changed the future of the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy had just seen his team lose to Baylor, 49-28, at McLane Stadium with a true freshman quarterback running the offense in his first career game. Yet Gundy didn't sound anything like a coach who had just seen his team suffer a three-touchdown defeat, its fifth straight loss.
"This could've very well been the best game we have played in a month," Gundy said at the time.
Those were odd words on the heels of stripping the redshirt off Mason Rudolph -- which Gundy maintains was not an easy decision -- and throwing the true freshman signal-caller into the Bears' den against Baylor.