Losing three games in a row is bad enough, but losing your senior quarterback midway through the season is much, much worse.

That is the dilemma facing the Oklahoma State Cowboys [2-3] when they welcome the Cyclones [4-1] to Stillwater Saturday night.

OSU head coach Bob Simmons reluctantly revealed Tuesday that fifth-year-senior quarterback Tony Lindsay was lost for the season, and that redshirt freshman Aso Pogi will be stepping in to take his spot.

Pogi, a 6-3, 220-pound, strong-armed passer has seen action in the Cowboys’ last three games against Southern Miss, Texas and Missouri. Through three games he has thrown for 271 yards, completing 24 of 49 passes.

OSU’s backfield features running back Reggie White, who ISU head coach Dan McCarney compares to the Cyclones’ very own Ennis Haywood.

White ranks second in the Big 12 in rushing behind Haywood, and is 13th nationally with 588 yards on 112 carries. Also carrying the ball will be backup tailback Jamaal Fobbs, the team’s second-leading rusher, and fullback Tim Burrough.

Fobbs, although a running back first, does line up at receiver and also leads the Cowboys in receiving. This is due in large part to the host of receivers that Oklahoma State features, including senior Marcellus Rivers, sophomores Willie Young and Gabe Lindsay and redshirt freshmen Rashaun Woods. The tight ends Bryan Blackwood and Khary Jacksonare both seniors.

The line – that will lead White and Fobbs, and hopefully protect Pogi – averages 310 lbs. and features senior Josh Lind, juniors Jeff Machado, Jon Vandrell and Bryan Phillips, and sophomore Kyle Eaton.

Coach Simmons’ team currently ranks 16th nationally against the run, giving up an average of only 95.6 yards per game on the ground. Junior middle linebacker Dwayne Levels leads the team in tackles with 47, and is joined by sophomore Terrence Robinson at strongside linebacker and senior Christ Carter at weakside linebacker.

OSU’s secondary features the team’s other two leading tacklers, sophomore cornerback Chris Massey and redshirt freshmen strong safety Elbert Craig. Craig has 40 tackles and Massey has 34 tackles and two interceptions. Junior cornerback Robbie Gillem and junior cornerback Michael Cooper round out the OSU secondary.

Up front the Cowboy defense has what McCarney calls “a big, strong” defensive line, highlighted by senior defensive end Juqua Thomas. Two other seniors, defensive tackle Zac Akin and defensive end Zac Warner, and sophomore nose tackle Kevin Williams make up this imposing group. Thomas has collected four sacks, Warner and Akin have two-a-piece, and Williams one.

Junior Scott Elder will punt and also hold for senior kicker Seth Condley. Condley is 8 of 13 on field goal tries, and a perfect 8 for 8 on PATs. Fobbs returns kicks and Lindsay returns punts for the Cowboys’ special teams.

Coach Simmons is in his fifth season at Oklahoma State, and has compiled a 30-32 record while in Stillwater. Simmons had enjoyed assistant coaching stints at Colorado, West Virginia, Toledo, and Bowling Green before taking over the Cowboys’ program in 1994.

Since then, Simmons has led Oklahoma State to one winning season, in 1997, plus an appearance in the Alamo Bowl the same year.