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If Oklahoma State had any reservations about their ability to play with the big boys from another conference in 2007, the Georgia Bulldogs were happy to confirm their suspicions, letting the upstart Cowboys know that SEC football was a little bigger and badder than even they feared in a 35-14 whipping.

Two years later, Mike Gundys team thinks it has been fire-tested by the Big 12s big boys, Oklahoma and Texas, and is ready to step its game up on the national stage.

"We've played some pretty good football teams in the last couple of years since then and either beat 'em or stood toe-to-toe and fought 'til the end," he said.

They will get a shot to prove themselves Saturday afternoon, as they go up against 13th-ranked Georgia. For the Cowboys, it will be their first time to host a non-conference opponent ranked that high since the 1970s. The pressure will be on the #9 Cowboys to prove that they deserve their highest pre-season ranking of all time and also erase doubts about the defensive liabilities of the Big 12 in general.

The Cowboys ended last season losing three games to ranked opponents in the Big 12 before losing to Oregon in the Holiday Bowl. But they bring back three key weapons in one of the countrys best offenses. Kendall Hunter, who led the Big 12 in rushing last year, will be an important factor in setting up a ground game that could soften the Georgia defense and allow receiver Dez Bryant to work in space.

Although he may have not gotten as much attention as his fellow Big 12 receiver Michael Crabtree last year, Bryant is one of the most dangerous players in the country, a threat to score every time he catches the ball either on offense or special teams, where he averaged almost 20 yards per return last year. Oklahoma State will need quarterback Zac Robinson to keep the Dawgs on their toes by switching up tempos. When theyve had success against good programs, the Cowboys have used the no huddle, wearing down defenses with substitutions. If they can continue that trend while establishing the run, the Cowboys could put up big numbers on Georgia.

For a team that lost its starting quarterback and running back to the NFL, coach Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs dont seem to be too terribly concerned. Part of the reason is that they replace Matthew Stafford not with a freshman, or even a junior, but with fifth-year senior Joe Cox.

"We lost Stafford. That's a big deal, there's no doubt about that," said Richt. "But I think there's a peace around the program knowing Joe is at the helm right now because of his leadership, his knowledge of the system, his ability to play the game."

While the team may have confidence in Cox, who has started only one game in his career, it seems it may take a few games for them to get totally comfortable with the absence of Moreno and Stafford. Cox will benefit from stud receive A.J. Green, but his offensive line is still a work in progress, so the Cowboys should be able to get pressure on him, especially in front of a historically loud and hostile Stillwater crowd. If this game were being played in October or in Athens, things may be a little different. But the Cowboys are read to prove they belong on the big stage and can run with the big Dawgs.