Kickoff: 3 PM CT
Location: Boone Pickens Stadium (Stillwater, Oklahoma)
Television: ESPN2
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Twitter: Follow @HeartlandPokes for live tweets during the game
For the second week in a row, the Oklahoma State Cowboys suffered a conference loss in a game they were favored to win, and now they are on the outside looking in when it comes to the Big 12 Championship. While they’re not entirely out of contention, the only thing they can do at this point is take each game a week at a time, and that starts with Saturday’s home matchup against the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Quarterback Garrett Greene enters today’s game with plenty of quality receivers and a couple of running backs that are capable of making big plays. Green is a capable passer, but he’s also formidable on the ground as a runner, so Oklahoma State will have their hands full with keeping him contained.
The Mountaineers are similar to the Cowboys in that they have a decent offense but a defense that is easily gashed for big yardage. Oklahoma State is favored by a couple of points entering this one, but it’s likely going to come down to the final possession as this could be an old fashioned Big 12 shootout.
How the Cowboys Win
I feel like a broken record saying this the last several weeks, but get the dang ball in Ollie Gordon’s hands. It was working in the first quarter of last week against Kansas State, and then for whatever reason, he barely got any action the rest of the game. If Gordon gets touches, I like Oklahoma State’s odds. But that’s not the only thing.
The Oklahoma State defense is notorious for giving up big-yardage plays. The Cowboys have been solid defending the redzone, ranking 15th across the NCAA, but that doesn’t matter if you’re allowing busted plays that turn into touchdowns. If Oklahoma State can limit the big ones, I don’t think West Virginia can score nearly as easily.
How the Mountaineers Win
If you can turn the Cowboys over early, you’ve got a good shot at beating them. That’s exactly what Kansas State did last week, and it allowed them to take an early lead that they never relinquished. Quarterback Alan Bowman has only been sacked twice all season, but he panics when he feels pressure, and that usually leads to 3 and outs or straight up giving the ball away. If West Virginia gets a takeaway or two early, then they’ve got a good enough offense to get a lead and keep it.
Odds & Predictions
Staff Score Predictions
| Staff | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Caleb | |
| Craig | 33-28 Oklahoma State |
| Matt | 31-24 Oklahoma State |
| Zack | 31-27 Oklahoma State |
An Oklahoma State Win Would…
- Give the Cowboys wins in 13 of its past 18 and in 26 of its past 34 games following a loss.
- Make the Cowboys 26-4 at Boone Pickens Stadium since 2020, ranking among the top five teams in the FBS in
home wins during that time. - Make the Cowboys 98-24 in its past 122 games vs. opponents outside of the AP Top 25, dating to 2010.
- Make the Cowboys 4-2 or better for a 17th consecutive season and for the 18th time in Mike Gundy’s 20 seasons
as head coach. - Give the Cowboys wins in 12 of its past 16 games.
- Improve Mike Gundy’s record in October games to 51-21.
- Improve Mike Gundy’s record in Big 12 games to 103-65 and move him to one game away from tying Bill Snyder for the second-most Big 12 wins in conference history.
- Improve OSU’s all-time record vs. West Virginia to 11-5 and its record vs. WVU in Stillwater to 5-3.
- Give the Cowboys wins in nine of its past 10 games against West Virginia and four of the past five games against WVU in Stillwater.
- Improve Mike Gundy’s record against West Virginia to 10-3.
- Make the Cowboys 35-14 in its past 49 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
- Brennan Presley has a receiving touchdown in four of his past five games.
- Brennan Presley has multiple catches in 35 straight games, the second longest active streak in the FBS.
- Trey Rucker has recorded at least 10 tackles in four of five games this season.
- Oklahoma State is 4-for-4 on two-point conversion attempts this season and the four successful two-point conversions are more than any other team in the FBS.
- Ollie Gordon II has rushed for more than 100 yards in 10 of the past 16 games.
- OSU and Georgia Tech are the only Power Conference teams who have allowed fewer than two sacks in 2024.
- OSU’s offensive line has not allowed a sack in 10 of its past 15 games.
- OSU is 13-1 in the past 14 games when winning or tying the turnover battle.
- OSU has held 35 of its past 45 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average entering the game.
- OSU has won 86 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, the longest since at least 1980 and likely the longest in college football history. Including games when opponents have scored 20 points or fewer, the streak begins at the same date and includes 94 games.
- OSU has held its opponent scoreless on its game-opening drive in 44 of its past 63 games.
- OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 51 of its past 57 games.
- OSU is 40-17 in its past 57 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
- OSU is 51-8 in its past 59 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
- Dating back to 2005, OSU is 49-4 when not committing a turnover.
- Dating back to 2008, OSU is 82-9 when winning the turnover battle.
- OSU has won five of its past seven overtime games.
- Over the past 54 games, OSU has held opponents to 267-for-847 (31.5%) on third down.