Kickoff: 2:30 PM CT
Location: Milan Puskar Stadium (Morgantown, West Virginia)
Television: ESPN
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Twitter: Follow @HeartlandPokes for live-tweets during the game
The no. 11 Oklahoma State Cowboys put together a complete win last week, a 55-3 destruction of the Kansas Jayhawks, a week after falling to Iowa State on the road. The rebound win was nice, especially considering how well the Cowboys played on both sides of the ball, but the competition picks back up today as they travel to Morgantown to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers.
West Virginia is just 4-4 on the season, but they had a couple of nice wins against Virginia Tech and Iowa State. Like the Cowboys, the Mountaineers have a stout defense, and they tend to get pressure in the backfield. It is imperative that Oklahoma State’s offensive line make holes for Jaylen Warren to run through and give Spencer Sanders time in the pocket. If the Cowboy offense can get something going, then the defense will likely be able to steady enough to hold off West Virginia’s offense.
Staff Predictions
Staff Score Predictions
| Craig | 33-20 Oklahoma State |
| Matt | 24-17 West Virginia |
| Rich | 42-31 Oklahoma State |
| Zack | 31-21 Oklahoma State |
A Win Today Would…
- Keep the Cowboys in the top two of the 2021 Big 12 standings.
- Make the Cowboys 8-1 or better for the first time since 2015 and for the fifth time in the Mike Gundy era.
- Make the Cowboys 4-1 in the past five away games.
- Give the Cowboys seven straight wins vs. the Mountaineers and four straight wins in Morgantown.
- Make the Cowboys 9-4 all-time vs. West Virginia and 4-2 vs. WVU in Morgantown.
- Improve Mike Gundy’s career record vs. West Virginia to 8-2.
- Improve Mike Gundy’s record in Big 12 games to 88-56.
- Give OSU wins in 10 of its past 11 games and 16 of its past 20 games, dating back to the 2020 season.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
- OSU has gone back-to-back games without turning the ball over.
- OSU’s defense has allowed fewer than 100 yards of offense in a half in six of its past seven games. The Cowboys limited Baylor to 99 yards in the first, Tulsa to 89 yards in the first, Boise State to 64 yards in the second, K- State to 84 yards in the second, Texas to 92 yards in the second and Kansas to 49 yards in the first and 94 yards in the second.
- OSU has held 17 of its past 19 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average.
- OSU has won 76 consecutive games when holding its opponent to fewer than 20 points, dating back to Sept. 13, 2003 – the longest active stretch of time in the FBS and longest since at least 1980.
- OSU has held its opponent scoreless on its game-opening drive in 20 of the past 25 games.
- OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50 percent third down conversion rate in 19 straight games.
- OSU has held its opponent to fewer than 20 first downs in seven straight games.
- According to ESPN, Spencer Sanders’ QBR in the last two games (83.4 at Iowa State and 79.4 vs. Kansas) both rank among the top five single-game performances of his career.
- Malcolm Rodriguez has recorded at least five tackles in 16 straight games.
- Jaylen Warren has more than 100 yards rushing in four of his past six games.
- OSU is 30-11 in its past 41 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
- OSU is 36-6 in its past 42 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
- Dating back to 2005, OSU is 42-4 when not committing a turnover.
- Dating back to 2008, OSU is 68-8 when winning the turnover battle.
- OSU has won three of its last four overtime games.