The Oklahoma State Cowboys kicked off their season on Saturday with a 44-20 victory over the reigning back-to-back FCS National Champion South Dakota State Jack Rabbits. Alan Bowman completed 25-of-34 passes for 267 yards and 3 touchdowns, and Ollie Gordon amassed 156 all-purpose yards for 3 total touchdowns.
The Cowboys jumped out to an early 10-0 lead through the first quarter, and at halftime they held a 17-6 lead over the Jack Rabbits. The game was essentially over after the third quarter as Oklahoma State had grown their lead to 38-13 before finishing off South Dakota State in a respectable fashion.
Ollie’s Heisman Campaign
Ollie Gordon looked every bit the role of a legit Heisman Trophy contender. Say what you want about the opposing competition, Gordon put together quite the highlight reel in the season opener.
Gordon’s 24 carries for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns along with 4 catches for 42 yards and a touchdown is just what the Cowboys needed to start the season off with a bang. If Oklahoma State wants to make a run at a Big 12 title and an appearance in the first ever 12-team College Football Playoff, it will be behind the powerful running of number 0.
Give Bowman His Flowers
Quarterback Alan Bowman was the center of much criticism a season ago. His 15 touchdowns through the air next to 14 interceptions was about as bad a statistical output you could expect from a Power 5 quarterback, but he started the 2024 campaign with perhaps his best game in a Cowboy uniform. Not only did Bowman complete 73.5% of his passes, he did it while taking care of the ball.
Give the offensive line a lot of credit as well as Bowman essentially went untouched. The line did not allow a sack by the Jack Rabbits all day, and Bowman consistently had all the time in the world in the pocket to make a good decision. If he can maintain anything close to this level of efficiency through the air, Oklahoma State could end up with one of the most dangerous offenses in Division 1 football.
Don’t Sweat the Defensive Mistakes
Oklahoma State struggle defensively a season ago, allowing almost 29 points per game to opponents. The Cowboys gave up at least 32 points in half their games, and twice they gave up at least 45 points. Allowing 20 points to an FCS school isn’t necessarily a great thing, but when you consider who it was against and how those points were scored, it’s actually kind of impressive.
The Jack Rabbits entered today’s matchup on a 29-game winning streak having averaged 37 points per game in 2023, and they were held to 20 points or fewer just twice. Oklahoma State managed to slow down several drives early, forcing South Dakota State into a field goal attempt. In the second half, the Jack Rabbits were able to score a couple of touchdowns, but the latest one was on a 60-yard touchdown pass due to a busted coverage by defensive back Cam Smith.
Nobody plays a perfect game in their season opener, and Oklahoma State has plenty to work on, but Cowboy fans should feel good about the defensive effort that was on display against the Jack Rabbits.
Who’s Next?
The competition picks up a bit for the Cowboys next week as they host the Arkansas Razorbacks for a good ol’ Big 12-SEC matchup. The Razorbacks got off to a great start in their season opener as they defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 70-0. Arkansas entered the season with somewhat low expectations following a 4-8 season. The Cowboys are currently an 8-point favorite over the Razorbacks.
Kickoff is scheduled for 11 AM at Boone Pickens Stadium, and it will be televised on ABC.