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No. 21 Oklahoma State will be looking to extend several streaks when the Cowboys host Southeastern Louisiana Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.For a start, the Cowboys have won 20 consecutive home openers and have never lost to an FCS opponent in 10 opportunities under coach Mike Gundy.They have won seven of their last eight season openers and 46 of its last 51 over unranked opponents.And though this is their first meeting with the Lions (Fox Sports Network, 3:30 p.m. ET), they are 4-0 against teams from the Southland Conference.With 18 starters returning from a 10-3 team, the Cowboys are looking to make a run for the Big 12 title that eluded them when they lost their last two games of the regular season, including the finale to rival Oklahoma, to finish 7-2. The Sooners wound up 8-1 in the conference and advanced to the college football playoffs.With quarterback Mason Rudolph, a deep stable of running backs, and two of their top three receivers returning to operate behind an offensive line that welcomes back five starters, the Cowboys should once again have an explosive offense.Rudolph passed for 3,770 yards in completing 62.3 percent of his attempts last year. Wide receivers James Washington and Marcel Ateman combined for 98 receptions for 1,853 yard and 15 touchdowns. Ateman, however, likely wont be available under October after having foot surgery in late July.The Cowboys used a running-back-by-committee approach last year and have added some new weapons in freshman Justice Hill, rated the top running back prospect in Oklahoma, and Barry Sanders Jr. Yes, he is the son of the schools Heisman Trophy winner and transferred from Stanford for his senior season.Sanders rushed for 315 yards for the Cardinal last season, which would have put him third on the Cowboys last season behind returnee Chris Carson (517) and J.W. Walsh (359), who has exhausted his eligibility.We should be improved, Gundy said of the running backs. Theyre a year stronger, a year more experienced, a year more matured.Weve got a couple of new running backs too. We certainly need to find a way to improve in that area. Wed like to average four yards per carry. Weve got a ways to go, but were certainly further ahead than we were last season.Sanders also could be a factor in the return game.So far hes done really well, Gundy said. Well have a group that will return punts and kicks. We feel like we have more depth there than we did last year.Despite the teams overall experience, Gundy expects newcomers to contribute early.Were not 100 percent but we feel pretty good that well have six freshman that will play for us in the first game, he said, or should play for us early in the season. C.J. Miles Jersey . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. Vince Carter Jersey . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. https://www.raptorsrookiesshop.com/Dewan-Hernandez-City-Edition-Jersey/ . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. Kawhi Leonard Raptors Jersey . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. Marc Gasol Jersey . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover. SAN FRANCISCO -- Both teams will begin with question marks and end with uncertainties when the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants meet in the finale of a four-game series on Sunday afternoon.The game is a big one for both teams, but especially for the Cardinals, who trail the Giants and New York Mets by two games in the race for two wild-card playoff spots in the National League.A win Sunday not only would allow the Cardinals to close the gap on the Giants, but also would secure a 4-3 win in the season series, which would give them the home-field advantage should the two teams finish in a tie for a wild-card spot.There are only 14 games remaining in the season.I can feel it, and I know the guys can feel it, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of the pressure of the playoff race. We know where everybody stands.But neither manager can even pretend to know what hes going to get from Sundays starting pitcher.Each will be going with a rookie who has never faced the other team -- the Cardinals Alex Reyes and Giants Albert Suarez.Reyes has made only two previous major league starts, and didnt win either. He pitched well, giving up just three runs in 10 2/3 innings, but those games were against two of the worst teams in baseball, the Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds.Suarez, meanwhile, has more of a track record, having gone 3-3 in 20 appearances, including 10 starts.He appeared to be in good shape to win a fourth game in his last start Tuesday, buut the Giants bullpen blew a 4-1 lead in the ninth inning and the club dropped a 6-4 decision to the San Diego Padres.ddddddddddddThe Giants bullpen hasnt gotten any better since then. Three relievers combined to give up two hits, a walk and two runs in the Cardinals ninth-inning rally Saturday night that might have saved their season.It surely didnt save closer Santiago Casillas job. After Giants manager Bruce Bochy didnt have the confidence in him to start the ninth inning with a 2-1 lead, Castilla wound up blowing the save anyway after entering the game with one on and one out.Bochy was booed when he went to the mound to bring Casilla into the game, and booed louder when he had to go back and pull him two batters later.I understand in this game, everybody likes it when you do good. But then they forget what you do, Casilla said after the loss. I never have that moment (boos) before. So when we lose the game, its not so easy. So I feel bad.Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, meanwhile, used his best reliever, Seung Hwan Oh, two innings Saturday night, which makes him unlikely to be available in the series finale.Matheny also has former closer Trevor Rosenthal at his disposal. But Rosenthal said he felt sore after pitching one inning Friday night in his return from the disabled list, so he also might not be ready for work Sunday. ' ' '