Kickoff: 2:30 PM CT
Location: Boone Pickens Stadium (Stillwater, Oklahoma)
Television: ABC
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Twitter: Follow @HeartlandPokes for live tweets during the game
Winners of four straight, the Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-2) are rolling as of late as they became bowl eligible for the 18th straight season last weekend thanks to a 45-13 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats. The Cowboys face their toughest test of the season on Saturday as they host what will be the final Bedlam game for quite some time against the #9 Oklahoma Sooners (7-1).
The Sooners lost their first game of the season last weekend to the Kansas Jayhawks in a 38-33 decision that came down to the wire. The Sooners are much better than they were a season ago, seeing massive improvements on both sides of the ball, so the Cowboys have their work cut out for them.
How the Cowboys Win
Oklahoma State has a tall task before them, as is the case with any Bedlam game. Oklahoma is fresh off their first loss of the season, which is all the motivation the Sooners need to come out and have a good game. The Cowboys are going to have play a pretty flawless game in terms of taking care of the ball if they want a chance to win. On the flip side, they are going to need to find a way to take the ball away from Oklahoma. As is typically the case, if Oklahoma State can win the turnover battle, then I think they have a really good shot at winning this one.
How the Sooners Win
Oklahoma really only needs to do one thing to beat Oklahoma State today, but it’s not as easy as it may sound. If the Sooners cannot stop Ollie Gordon, then it could be a long day for them. Gordon has emerged as one of the top running backs in all of college football, and he has been on an absolute tear as of late, finding the end zone as often as anybody. Stopping him, which essentially will slow down the Cowboy offense, is a must.
Odds & Predictions
Staff Score Predictions
| Craig | 38-33 Oklahoma |
| Matt | 31-30 Oklahoma State |
| Zack | 34-31 Oklahoma State |
An Oklahoma State Win Would…
- Mark Mike Gundy’s 100th career Big 12 win, making him the third coach in history to reach the milestone. The only other two coaches to reach 100 Big 12 wins are Bob Stoops and Bill Snyder.
- Mark the Cowboys’ 11th win over an AP Top 10 team since 2008.
- Give the Cowboys wins in two straight and three of its past four games against AP Top 10 teams.
- Make the Cowboys 10-3 in its past 13 and 19-8 in its past 27 games vs. opponents ranked in the AP Top 25.
- Improve the Cowboys to 34-25 vs. AP ranked teams since the beginning of the 2011 season.
- Mark Mike Gundy’s 40th career win vs. AP Top 25 opponents. Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney are the only other active coaches with more wins over AP Top 25 teams at their current schools.
- Improve Mike Gundy’s record in home games to 94-29.
- Improve the Cowboys’ record against Oklahoma to 21-90-7 and its record vs. OU in Stillwater to 9-40-5.
- Give the Cowboys wins against Oklahoma in two of the past three matchups.
- Give the Cowboys wins in 19 of its past 21 and 22 of its past 25 games played at Boone Pickens Stadium.
- Improve Mike Gundy’s record against Oklahoma to 4-15.
- Make the Cowboys 28-10 in its past 38 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
- Ollie Gordon II has rushed for more than 100 yards in five straight games.
- Ollie Gordon II has rushed for more than 270 yards in two straight games.
- OSU has forced 10 turnovers and only surrendered four turnovers in the past four games.
- OSU has held 33 of its past 38 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average entering the game.
- OSU has won 85 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. Including games when opponents have scored 20 points or fewer, the streak begins at the same date and includes 92 games.
- The Cowboy defense has produced a shutout half in two games this season.
- OSU has held its opponent scoreless on its game-opening drive in 37 of its past 52 games.
- OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 43 of its past 46 games.
- OSU is 36-16 in its past 52 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
- OSU is 47-8 in its past 55 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
- Dating back to 2005, OSU is 48-4 when not committing a turnover.
- Dating back to 2008, OSU is 78-8 when winning the turnover battle.
- OSU has won three of its past five overtime games.
- Over the past 45 games, OSU has held opponents to 208-for-692 (30.1%) on third down.