Mike Roach
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Photo: USA Today Sports
WHO: #24 Oklahoma State Cowboys 3-0 (0-0) vs. Texas Longhorns 1-2 (0-0)
WHEN: Saturday September 26, 2015 at 2:30 Central
WHERE: Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX. (ESPN)
ODDS: Oklahoma State -3
The Good: After a down season last year, Mike Gundy’s team is 3-0 and ranked in the top 25 to start the season. The Cowboys have made their bones this season against an unimpressive non-conference slate, but their performance has improved throughout each week. Sophomore quarterback Mason Rudolph has been the driving force behind the Cowboy offense accounting for 947 yards and 5 touchdowns on 69% passing. Rudolph’s air assault has been led by receivers Marcell Ateman and David Glidden. While Ateman is a familiar face who has been making plays up in Stillwater for years, Glidden is the player leading the charge currently. The diminutive senior receiver has been a spark plug for the Pokes totaling 283 and 3 touchdowns through three games. The Cowboys have also done a great job taking care of the ball this season while forcing 8 turnovers on the defensive side of the ball. Winning the turnover battle equates to winning football games, and Oklahoma State is doing their part in that area.
The Bad: The Cowboys have no real rushing game to speak of. While Gundy has been known in the past for his explosive passing offenses, he’s usually found that success because of a dangerous running back that keeps the defense honest. Leading rusher Chris Childs has fewer yards through three games than Longhorn quarterback Jerrod Heard has amassed through two. State’s defense has also struggled at times giving up over 300 yards to both Central Michigan and UTSA. Early in the season the offense struggled to score points and turned in lackluster performances against Central Michigan and Central Arkansas.
The Uncertain: It’s hard to tell if these Cowboys are for real or not. The non-conference schedule was setup to be easy on them, but Gundy and co. needed a comeback to beat Central Michigan at home, and sputtered to a 22 point win against Central Arkansas. While the game against UTSA looked big on paper it was aided by the Roadrunners committing seven turnovers and never really threatening against OSU. While this Texas team is down, they do present the biggest challenge Oklahoma State has seen this season, especially with the emergence of Jerrod Heard.
What’s at stake: Both teams look to kick conference play off with a win, while Oklahoma State wants to prove their ranking is not a fluke. Texas is in need of some good mojo after the heartbreaking loss against Cal in which Jerrod Heard energized the fan base for the first time since perhaps the days of Colt McCoy. A win over a top 25 team would be noteworthy, and Texas could use all the momentum they can find as they head into the teeth of their schedule.
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