Kickoff: 1 PM CT
Location: Boone Pickens Stadium (Stillwater, Oklahoma)
Television: ESPN+
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Twitter: Follow @HeartlandPokes for live tweets during the game
The Oklahoma State Cowboys will kickoff the 2024 football season as they host the South Dakota State Jack Rabbits on Saturday afternoon. The Jack Rabbits are the reigning back-to-back FCS National Champions, and they bring their 29-game winning streak with them.
Oklahoma State finished off a somewhat surprising season last year with a 31-23 victory over Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl, marking the eighth 10-win season for the Cowboys since 2010. With the revamped Big 12 and the new 12-team College Football Playoff format, the Cowboys have high hopes for this season. Ollie Gordon is a Heisman Hopeful, Alan Bowman is looking to make the best of his seventh season at the college level, and the defense should be much improved with nearly every starter returning.
Under normal circumstances, hosting an FCS school in your season and home opener would be considered a recipe for a successful start, but South Dakota State cannot be underestimated. While the Jack Rabbits enter this game as a 10-point underdog, it’s not unheard of for there to be an upset in a week 1 matchup like this one.
How the Cowboys Win
Oklahoma State enters this year with plenty buzz around the high number of returning players from the successful team last season. Today’s focus simply needs to be to “keep it steady.” Emotions can easily run high in a home opener like this one, but the Cowboys would be better off staying in control as much as possible. As long as they can stick to the game plan, they should be able to avoid any negative surprises and come away with a win.
How the Jack Rabbits Win
If South Dakota State wants to win, the opposite strategy needs to be implemented for the Jack Rabbits. Chaos needs to be their focus, and they can try to make that happen at all three levels of the game. Their best shot at winning this game will likely involved at least one—if not multiple—defensive touchdown or special teams touchdown. It’s not likely that South Dakota State can go point-for-point with an offense like Oklahoma State has, so the Jack Rabbits are going to need some help elsewhere.
Odds & Predictions
Staff Score Predictions
| Staff | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Caleb | 31-17 Oklahoma State |
| Craig | 33-28 Oklahoma State |
| Matt | 38-17 Oklahoma State |
| Zack | 38-28 Oklahoma State |
An Oklahoma State Win Would…
- Give the Cowboys 29 consecutive wins in home openers, increasing the longest streak in school history. Only Florida (34) has a longer active streak among all FBS teams.
- Give the Cowboys wins in nine of its past 11 games.
- Increase a school record to 10 consecutive wins in season openers.
- Improve Mike Gundy’s record against non-Power conference teams to 44-5.
- Improve Mike Gundy’s record in season openers to 18-2 and his record in home openers to 20-0.
- Improve Mike Gundy’s record in non-conference games to 65-16.
- Improve Mike Gundy’s record against FCS teams to 16-0.
- Make the Cowboys 26-5 in the past 31 non-conference games and 48-11 in the past 59 non-conference games.
- Make the Cowboys 32-12 in its past 44 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
- OSU has won nine consecutive season openers and 28 consecutive home openers, both OSU records.
- Ollie Gordon II has rushed for more than 100 yards in nine of the past 11 games.
- OSU is 10-0 in the last 10 games when winning or tying the turnover battle.
- OSU’s offensive line has not allowed a sack in six of its past 10 games.
- OSU has held 34 of its past 43 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.
- OSU has held its opponent scoreless on its game-opening drive in 40 of its past 58 games.
- OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 47 of its past 52 games.
- OSU is 39-16 in its past 55 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
- OSU is 49-8 in its past 57 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 80-8 when winning the turnover battle.
- OSU has won four of its past six overtime games.
- Over the past 50 games, OSU has held opponents to 240-for-769 (31.2%) on third down.