Few people, be they television anchors, church pastors or world leaders, can put words to the unspeakable sorrow that has gripped the country since Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

Even fewer college football teams can.

But on Saturday, two schools will meet that well understand the misery and mystery of a senseless tragedy -- Oklahoma State and Texas A&M.

	Les Miles and Oklahoma State are way too accustomed to dealing with tragedy.

In Stillwater, the Cowboys are just nine months removed from the Jan. 27 plane crash that killed two basketball players and eight members of the basketball support staff. In College Station, the Aggies are two years removed from the November 1999 collapse of a bonfire that killed 12 people and injured 27 others before the Texas game.

So when they meet Saturday at Kyle Field, they'll understand the pain. As much as possible, anyway.

"The atmosphere here (Tuesday) was very similar to the feelings we had a couple of years ago immediately following the bonfire tragedy," A&M coach R.C. Slocum said. "There was a real anxiousness about our team.

"So we talked about life. Here we are, once again, having to deal with this awful reality of life -- that bad things sometimes happen."

Perhaps no college coach realizes that more than Oklahoma State coach Les Miles. The crash of one of the basketball team's planes east of Denver paralyzed a college, an athletic department and a football team -- many of whom were friends of those on board.

Grief struck. Grades suffered. Winter conditioning became more about lifting heavy burdens than lifting heavy weights.

It was the same in 1995, when Miles was an Oklahoma State assistant and the Murrah Federal building was reduced to rubble in nearby Oklahoma City.

And again on Tuesday.

"This obviously was a very painful time for everyone on campus, in our state, and on the practice field," Miles said. "We were all kind of numb. Very lethargic. There were the same symptoms of distance and not being focused."

But Miles said he has seen great things spring from sorrow -- in the breathtaking reflecting pond in Oklahoma City, in the memorial at the Colorado crash site, in Oklahomans' resolve to rebuild.

"It's kind of how Oklahoma people handle tragedy," he said. "I just feel, having been around Oklahoma people in these times, that there is a natural strength and buoyancy that comes from them. I think it's reflective of our kids and it's reflective of this state and it's reflective of this country."

Kyle Field will be reflective of the country Saturday. A&M fans are hoping to fill the upper, middle and lower decks in a wash of red, white and blue. Like most of college football, players from both schools will wear American flag decals on their helmets.

And they'll take the field with a conflicting mix of grief and gratitude, helplessness and hope, guilt and grit.

They won't be alone. Coaches or players from about half of the Big 12 schools were indirectly affected by Tuesday's events. Iowa State assistant head coach Nick Quartaro, previously head coach at Fordham in the Bronx, is missing two of his former players, both of whom worked on the 92nd floor of one of the towers. Oklahoma assistant head coach Mark Mangino's high school friend is missing. The father of a Kansas graduate assistant coach was in the Pentagon but made it out. A Colorado player from Long Island has friends missing.

Slocum, meanwhile, spent Tuesday counseling 18 to 23-year-olds, including one not-so-strong safety. Senior Jay Brooks spent hours desperately trying to locate his mom, who works in the Pentagon. After several frantic phone calls, Brooks found her -- shaken but safe.

Slocum's southern, grandfatherly voice shook a bit as he talked about Tuesday. "It's like watching a horror movie but the ending never comes."

In that sense, Saturday's game means nothing. And it means everything.

"Anytime you have something as bad as this, you hope that some good can come out of it," Slocum said. "I do hope that it gives our people more resolve to study world politics and to understand the world we live in.

"It's really a time for all of us to give some thought to just how we do these things in this country. I talked to our football team about our obligation. This, again, points out vividly how important it is for us to respect the value of human life and the value of each other."

Around the Big 12

Baylor

	Kevin Steele and Baylor are searching for an 11th opponent.

The Bears' game with Minnesota has been canceled because the teams couldn't work out their schedules to make it up. The Bears now are searching for an 11th opponent. "These players work for nearly 200 days in a year in order to play these games, so you'd like to play as many as you can if at all possible," coach Kevin Steele said. ... The good news about missing the Minnesota game? When the Bears face a mediocre New Mexico team, they have a chance to start their season 2-0 for the first time since 1996. ... When you're Baylor, you take national rankings any time you can get them: The Bears' defense currently ranks third nationally in scoring defense (3 points per game) and fifth in total defense (172 yards per game.) So what if the Bears have only played Arkansas State?

Colorado
Colorado still is trying to figure out when, or whether, it will make up its game with Washington State. Both schools would have to alter their schedules significantly to fit the game. Because the Buffs will play 11 games without the Washington State game, Barnett said, CU can take it or leave it. Barnett said part of the revenue from the game, if it's played, could go to a relief fund. ... It's not often that you hear a team vowing vengeance against the mighty Kansas Jayhawks but the Buffs are doing it. The 23-15 loss in Lawrence may be the starkest symbol of the Buffs' Rocky Mountain low last year. "It's a game that we really played poorly last year. Our guys are really looking forward to this one."? Barnett said he feels a bit better about the Buffs' loss to Fresno State after the Bulldogs' rocket start, which landed them on the cover of last week's Sports Illustrated. But not much. "That and 25 cents will get me a cup of coffee," he said.

Iowa State
Iowa-Iowa State probably won't become a Thanksgiving weekend tradition, but the teams will make up their intrastate match-up on Nov. 24 in Ames. ... The Cyclones face an Ohio team Saturday that gave the Clones fits in Ames before going on to beat two bowl teams. In yet another sign of how far the Cyclones have come, Iowa State will have a big bull's eye on its jerseys as Ohio tries to knock off another bowl team. "It's going to be a huge challenge," coach Dan McCarney said. ... It will be an even bigger challenge for the Cyclones to try to top the interception mark they tallied in their opener. Six different players accounted for six interceptions in Iowa State's pasting of Northern Iowa -- a remarkable feat even if most of the picks came against a freshman quarterback playing for a Division I-AA school, McCarney said.

Kansas
Kansas is looking at Nov. 24 to try to make up its game with Wyoming. ... The missed game didn't help Kansas' attempts to iron out its shaky quarterback situation. Coach Terry Allen had hoped to have a starter solidified by conference play but as it is, freshman Mario Kinsey will make his first start against the Buffs, with Zach Dyer probably seeing playing time in the first half. ... On the other hand, the extra week could help senior captain Harrison Hill get back on the field for a good chunk of conference play. Hill broke his left shoulder blade just two minutes into the UCLA loss and is expected to be out 4 to 6 weeks. ... Allen, who's on the hot seat, kept things in perspective last week. He, his wife and his three kids went bowling Saturday. And they and some friends went to the Memorial Stadium parking lot to tailgate for a game that, of course, didn't exist. "Having never been to a tailgate party, we spent about 45 minutes up there," Allen said. "It was a really different feeling. We walked into the stadium and imagined the things going on." Said Texas Tech coach Mike Leach: "He went to his stadium and tailgated? Wow. There's a lot going on there in Kansas, huh?"

Kansas State
The Wildcats were hoping to move their game against Missouri back to Nov. 24 so K-State could play Louisiana Tech on Nov. 17. Details have yet to be finalized but Missouri coach Gary Pinkel likes the thought of having two weeks off before playing K-State. ... Bill Snyder agreed with a reporter's assessment that the Wildcats are playing "Nebraska Jr." this week when they face New Mexico State. Coach Tony Samuel, a former Nebraska assistant, runs Nebraska's power option offense. "It does give us a head start, or at least a week to look at some of the same things Nebraska does," Snyder said. ... Offensive tackle Matt Martin will play Saturday, as will Aaron Lockett, who was pummeled on a punt return against USC.

Missouri
The Michigan State game will be played Dec. 1 in East Lansing. To its credit, Missouri also is listening to K-State's desires to push back their game to Nov. 24 so the Wildcats can play Louisiana Tech on Nov. 17. ... Counting last week, the Tigers will have three weeks off before they play Nebraska. Coach Gary Pinkel said they'll use every bit of the next two weeks to prepare for the Huskers. ... The off-week could give oft-injured Kirk Farmer an outside chance of coming back against Nebraska. Dubbed the "Glass Farmer" by some Missouri fans, the junior quarterback has missed parts of three seasons with a broken leg, broken collarbone, broken finger and now, a strained medial collateral ligament in his knee. For now, Darius Outlaw remains the starter.

Nebraska

	Frank Solich is anxious to see how the Huskers' first weeknight game goes off.

Everyone knows about Nebraska's consecutive home sellout streak, which dates back to, well, Ancient Rome. And come Thursday night, the Huskers will mark their 243rd consecutive sellout. But coach Frank Solich acknowledged that Thursday night's game against Rice will test the endurance of Husker fans, many of whom travel several hours across state to watch their beloved Big Red. Athletic officials moved back the kickoff time from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to try to ease concerns about parking for night classes on campus and to accommodate those traveling cross-state. "This is the first time we've played at home on a weeknight," Solich said. "When you break new ground, you wait and see what happens." ... Thursday also will be one of those rare times that Husker nation can't watch the game on television. Neither Fox Sports nor ESPN picked up the game with the mighty Owls. Only one of the Huskers' games was not televised regionally or nationally last year -- unless you actually count the choppy Internet broadcast of the San Jose State game last year. ... Safety Willie Amos (abdomen) is questionable for Thursday's game.

Oklahoma
The Sooners will make up their game, against Tulsa on Nov. 3. ... Look out, Kansas State and Texas. With the tussle with Tulsa postponed, the Sooners effectively have three weeks to get ready for the back-to-back matchups with K-State and Texas. "We'll have a lot of time to prepare," coach Bob Stoops said. "In the end, it may help us." ... Of course, three weeks of rust may not be such a great thing for an offense with an inexperienced quarterback. But Stoops said he isn't worried about Nate Hybl. The junior has completed 62 of 100 passes for four touchdowns and three interceptions. "His progression has been solid," he said. ... Defensive end Dan Cody, a starter, has left the team after being diagnosed with clinical depression. The sophomore from Ada, Okla., is still taking classes.

Oklahoma State
The Cowboys have canceled their game with Northern Arizona and picked up another Division I-AA school -- Northwestern State of Louisiana -- to play Sept. 29 in Stillwater. ... Saturday's game against A&M is a pivotal game for two teams that appear to be moving in opposite directions. The Aggies, who haven't looked great in their first two outings, are guarding against a drop off, while the Cowboys appear ready for a resurgence. ... Has a quarterback ever used stick 'em? As the Cowboys get ready for A&M, Aso Pogi might want to consider it after dropping the ball twice, with one of them leading to a touchdown. ... The Aggies may have the nation's best tradition with the 12th man at Kyle Field but the Cowboys are trying to establish their own claim to fame. The Pokes quite possibly set the record for world's longest tunnel walk in their home opener when Miles made his players walk a half-mile from the student hotel to Lewis Field two hours before game time.

Texas
The Longhorns had a week off so they won't have to reschedule any games. Doctors thought wide receiver Montrell Flowers had lacerated his kidney -- a serious-enough injury -- but what they discovered effectively ended Flowers' football career. As it turns out, Flowers has only one kidney. While he can't play football -- one shot to the kidney could end his life -- the sprinter can continue to run track. And Brown wants Flowers to help out as a receivers' coach. "It's a short term pain for him, but a blessing in the long term," Brown said. "He came to practice Thursday and he stood around and all the guys hugged him and got to talk to him." ... In observance of the tragedy, Texas installed an American flag at its practice site and sang "God Bless America" after Thursday's practice. Brown said his players also are comforted by the fact that they got to know President Bush. As governor of Texas, Bush often worked out at the UT weight room. "Our guys have total confidence in him," Brown said. "That probably eases some of the pain and helps with some of the confidence because they know our leadership is in good hands."

Texas A&M
A&M had a week off so the Aggies haven't missed a beat as they prepare to open conference play against Oklahoma State. ... Slocum said the ESPN crew that is following the team for SideLines, a series of behind-the-scene shows this season, has been everywhere, but they've stayed out of the way. "They've been very cooperative," he said. "They've been here all the time. I'm really anxious to see it." ... It's one thing to play with an injury. It's quite another to play with an internal injury. Receiver Bethel Johnson suffered a bruised spleen during the Aggies' 28-20 victory over Wyoming Sept. 6 but kept playing. He was hospitalized overnight in a Laramie hospital and again in Bryan, Texas, and will apply for a medical hardship, which would give him another year of eligibility. Johnson was released from the hospital over the weekend after nine days. ... In Johnson's absence, running back Richard Whitaker will move to wide receiver. Slocum said Whitaker has "excellent hands." ... Whitaker's move makes Keith Joseph, who had 105 yards on 21 rushes against Wyoming, the I-back and it probably takes Derek Farmer, a freshman I-back, out of a redshirt season.

Texas Tech
The Red Raiders are looking at making up their game with UTEP on Dec. 8 -- oddly, a week after the Big 12 championship game. Of course, it'll be a cold day in Lubbock if the Red Raiders make the Big 12 championship game. ... Last year at this time, Texas Tech had played four games. This year, the Red Raiders have played one. "It could have an effect," quarterback Kliff Kingsbury said. "Whether we'll be experienced, I don't know." ... How did Tech spend its down time this weekend? "I slept a lot," Kingsbury said. Meanwhile, Tech coach Mike Leach spent his weekend watching films, though not football ones. Instead, he took his family to see the riveting sequel -- Rush Hour II. "If you liked the first Rush Hour, you'll like this one," Leach said.

Todd Cooper is a staff writer at the Omaha World-Herald.