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Core Cowboys aim to ride off winners

Oklahoma State bids farewell to a trio that resurrected the program.

DALLAS - Rashaun Woods, Josh Fields and Tatum Bell practically have lifted Oklahoma State out of mediocrity by themselves.

Now the Cowboys' linchpin trio likely will play their final game together today in the Cotton Bowl against No. 16 Mississippi in Dallas.

Nothing would please the 1,000-yard receiver, 2,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rusher more than sending their rising program even higher with its first January bowl win since 1946.

"I've been in games where I've lit it up and lost, and it just doesn't have the same gratification," said Woods, who had 66 catches for 1,144 yards and 14 touchdowns for the No. 21 Cowboys.

Third-year Oklahoma State coach Les Miles, like Ole Miss coach David Cutcliffe, hopes playing in the Cotton Bowl starts his program toward the next level: a conference championship and a berth in the Bowl Championship Series games.

But without Woods, Bell and Fields, the Cowboys likely never would have broken a string of four losing seasons. The trio led Oklahoma State to 8-5 and a victory in the Houston Bowl last season.

Bell, a senior, rushed for 1,240 yards and 15 touchdowns on 199 carries in 91/2 games, his second straight 1,000-yard season, before being sidelined with a sprained ankle. He's healthy again.

Fields' numbers declined as the Cowboys focused on the run. Still, he completed 163 of 305 passes for 2,187 yards and 20 TDs with 12 interceptions after throwing for 3,145 yards and 34 TDs last season.

The junior who hit .383 in the spring with the baseball team is expected to leave for professional baseball after June's major-league draft.

"I'm just focusing on having fun and playing this bowl game," Fields said. "Then, I've got to go out and have a good spring."

Woods set school records for yards in a game, touchdowns in a season and receptions in a career last season and was MVP of the Houston Bowl. He returned for his senior season anyway.

"I'm very happy I came back and got my degree," Woods said. "I really learned, not just about football, but about life in general. Some people jump to the real world too fast. I just wanted to enjoy my life."