Game Notes - Oklahoma State Hosts Texas Tech In Home Finale

Saturday, November 12

Stillwater, OK

2:30 p.m. CT

Oklahoma State University

Texas Tech

Photo by: OSU Athletics

Game Notes - Oklahoma State Hosts Texas Tech In Home Finale

November 07, 2016 | Cowboy Football

Complete Release in PDF Format

Up next for Oklahoma State football
Texas Tech
2:30 p.m. CT | Nov. 12, 2016 | Boone Pickens Stadium (60,218)

TV: FS1 (Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman)
In Stillwater: Suddenlink 37/237, DirecTV 219, Dish 150, U-verse 652/1652
In OKC: Cox 67/728, DirecTV 219, Dish 150, U-verse 652/1652
In Tulsa: Cox 1312, DirecTV 219, Dish 150, U-verse 652/1652
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb & Robert Allen)
National Radio: None
Satellite Radio: Sirius channel 136, XM channel 199
Internet - Mobile App: http://okla.st/osutunein - TuneIn Radio App
Live Stats: okstate.com
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The Basics

The Oklahoma State football team (7-2 overall; 5-1 Big 12) hosts Texas Tech (4-5 overall; 2-4 Big 12) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Boone Pickens Stadium.

On the Air

The game will be televised by FS1 with Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman on the call. The contest will also be carried live on the Cowboy Radio Network, with Dave Hunziker handling play-by-play, John Holcomb providing analysis and Robert Allen reporting from the sideline. Fans outside of the Cowboy Radio Network can listen to the OSU broadcast free of charge through TuneIn Radio or the TuneIn Radio app.

Ticket Information

Tickets are available for Saturday's game starting at $90. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting okstate.com/tickets, by contacting the Oklahoma State ticket office at 877-ALL-4-OSU or by emailing tickets@okstate.edu. On Twitter, the Oklahoma State ticket office is @OSUFanEx.

Military Appreciation Day

Oklahoma State will honor those who have served our country throughout the game and will also celebrate the 100th year of ROTC.

Senior Day

With this being the final home game of the season, Oklahoma State will honor 21 of its players in a ceremony prior to the game. The honorees:

• Devante Averette - Juco transfer who has developed into one of OSU's leading tacklers this season.
• Jordan Burton - Juco safety who transitioned to linebacker at OSU and earned All-Big 12 honors in 2015.
• Chris Carson - Juco transfer who was the team's leading rusher in 2015.
• Rennie Childs - Has nearly 1,000 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in his career.
• Eric Davis - Has seen game action in all four seasons at OSU. On track to graduate in December.
• Ben Grogan - OSU's career scoring leader and one of the nation's active scoring leaders.
• Austin Hays - Regular contributor in each of his four seasons in Stillwater. On track to graduate in December.
• Blake Jarwin - One-time walk-on who worked his way into becoming a starter and a legitimate NFL prospect.
• Ashton Lampkin - First-team Academic All-Big 12 honoree who has been an impactful player throughout his career.
• Motekiai Maile - Juco transfer who is a powerful and effective run-stopper in the middle of the OSU defensive line.
• Keegan Metcalf - One-time walk-on who earned a scholarship. Toughness made him a contributor on special teams.
• Derrick Moncrief - Transferred to OSU from Auburn and has contributed on special teams and on defense.
• Grant Newell - Juco transfer who is a valued member of the scout team.
• Lenzy Pipkins - Fifth-year graduate transfer who didn't start playing football until his senior year of high school.
• Victor Salako - Transferred to OSU after UAB disbanded its program and started every game of his Cowboy career.
• Barry J. Sanders - Fifth-year graduate transfer who helped Stanford to three Pac-12 titles and three Rose Bowl trips.
• Jhajuan Seales - One of the fastest players on the roster. Has more than 1,500 career receiving yards.
• Kaleb Smith - Long snapper who is not a senior, but is graduating and ending his football career.
• Jordan Sterns - Perhaps the Big 12's best safety. A team leader, both on and off the field.
• Zac Veatch - One of the toughest players on the team. One-time starter at OL caught a TD pass earlier this season.
• Michael Wilson - Versatile performer who started at every O-Line position except center during his OSU career.

In the Rankings

Oklahoma State is ranked No. 17 in both the Associated Press poll and the Amway Coaches Poll. Texas Tech is not ranked by either organization.
It is the 80th time in the Cowboys' last 111 games that OSU has been ranked by the Associated Press entering a game. The Cowboys have been included in each of the last eight sets of CFP rankings, dating back to 2015.

Oklahoma State From a Distance

    Oklahoma State enters Saturday's game riding a five-game Big 12 win streak and leads the league with a turnover margin of +0.89. The Cowboys have forced more turnovers than any Big 12 team. Some of the basics on OSU:

Offense
• In quarterback Mason Rudolph and receiver James Washington, Oklahoma State has one of the most dangerous pass-combinations in the nation. True freshman running back Justice Hill has emerged as perhaps the best and most impactful newcomer in the Big 12 this season. While receiver Jalen McCleskey isn't discussed as much as Washington, he leads the team with 57 receptions and has three 100-yard games to his credit this season.

Defense
• Forcing turnovers has been at the center of OSU's success. Through nine games, the Cowboys have forced 20 turnovers (2.2 per game) and have taken two of those back for defensive touchdowns. 13 different OSU players have been directly involved in a turnover, either by intercepting a pass or by recovering a fumble this season.
• Of the Cowboys' 24 sacks this season, 20.5 have come from defensive linemen, led by Vincent Taylor's 5.5.

Special Teams
• Special teams have been a strong point for the Cowboys this year. The Pokes have blocked five kicks, have a net punting average of 40.3 yards, are averaging 12.1 yards per punt return and are limiting opponents to 18.5 yards per kickoff return.
• Punter Zach Sinor is performing at a very high level. Sinor has punted 40 times for an average of 43.0 yards per punt. Of his 40 punts, 24 have been downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line with only one resulting in a touchback. Sinor has 11 punts of 50 yards or more.

    Looking beyond just this season, turnovers and non-offensive touchdowns rank among Oklahoma State's signature traits this decade. In fact, the Cowboys rank second in the nation with 39 non-offensive touchdowns since 2010 and are third in America with 192 turnovers forced since 2010. Only Houston and Oregon have forced more during that time span.
    An explosive aerial attack has also been at the core of Oklahoma State's identity this decade, with the Cowboys ranking in the top 10 nationally in passing yards per game four times since 2010.
    On special teams, the Cowboys have a recent tradition of blocking kicks, as OSU has blocked 18 kicks since the start of the 2013 season to lead the FBS during that time span. The Cowboys lead the nation with five blocked kicks this season.

Texas Tech From a Distance

Piling up passing yards and scoring points is at the core of Texas Tech's identity, as the Red Raiders lead the nation with 485.8 passing yards per game and rank fourth nationally with 46.2 points per game. The ability to convert third downs has played a significant part in TTU's offensive success, as the Red Raiders have converted on an FBS-leading 55.1 percent of their third-down attempts.
As dynamic as TTU's offense is (6.7 average yards per play), the Red Raider defense has allowed an identical total of 6.7 yards per play to their nine opponents this season. TTU has allowed 41.8 points and 533.9 yards of total offense per game this season.

An Oklahoma State Win Would...

• Extend the Cowboys' current Big 12 winning streak to six games. Only three times before has OSU won six or more Big 12 games in a row. The Cowboys won seven in a row in 2011 and again in 2013, and won eight in a row from the end of 2014 through 2015.
• Mark the eighth time in the last nine seasons that Mike Gundy has led the Cowboys to at least eight victories.
• Mark the Cowboys' eighth straight win over Texas Tech, dating back to 2008.
• Mark the Cowboys' seventh straight win over the Red Raiders in Stillwater, dating back to 2001.
• Move the Cowboys to 10-2 vs. Texas Tech during the Mike Gundy era (2005-present).
• Improve the Cowboys to 6-1 in Big 12 play this season, marking the sixth time in the last eight seasons that the Cowboys have won at least six conference games.
• Bring the Cowboys' final home record to 6-1 this season, matching 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012 for the season-high for home victories during the Mike Gundy era.
• Improve the Cowboys to 52-6 in their last 58 games against unranked opponents, dating back to 2010.
• Improve the Cowboys to 44-17 in Big 12 Conference games since 2010. At 46-13, only Oklahoma has a better Big 12 record than OSU this decade.

Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Texas Tech Game

• Oklahoma State has won seven straight over Texas Tech, dating back to 2008.
• Oklahoma State hasn't lost to Texas Tech in Stillwater since 2001.
• Oklahoma State is undefeated in its last five Big 12 games.
• Oklahoma State is 10-1 in its last 11 games decided by less than 10 points.
• Oklahoma State has trailed at some point in each of its last six wins.
• Oklahoma State has won 19 of its last 24 games overall, dating back to the end of the 2014 season.
• Oklahoma State has won five of its six home games this season.
• Oklahoma State has scored at least 20 points in each of its last 25 games - the second-longest active streak in the nation, trailing only Oregon's streak of 39 straight.
• Oklahoma State is outscoring its opponents by a 102-56 margin in the first quarter of games this season.
• Oklahoma State is outscoring its opponents by an 81-37 margin in the fourth quarter of games this season.
• OSU's defense has forced 10 turnovers in the last four games.
• Oklahoma State's defense has forced at least one turnover in 19 of the last 20 games.
• Oklahoma State holds a 48-14 advantage in points off turnovers in the last four games.
• Receiver James Washington averages 37.4 yards per reception in his career against Texas Tech and has six career touchdown receptions against the Red Raiders - more than any other Cowboy in history.
• Cornerback Ramon Richards has three career interceptions against TTU - more than any other Cowboy in history.
• Dating back to 2005, the Cowboys have won 28 of their last 29 games when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to the 2008 season, the Cowboys have won 49 of their last 53 games when winning the turnover battle.
• Quarterback Mason Rudolph has thrown 34 touchdown passes against just six interceptions in his last 15 games, dating back to the 2015 season.
• Quarterback Mason Rudolph has thrown just four interceptions in 329 pass attempts this season.
• According to ESPN Stats and Info, quarterback Mason Rudolph has posted a QBR of 90.3 and 87.8 in his last two games, against West Virginia and Kansas State, respectively.
• Receiver James Washington has at least one catch in each of his last 28 games.
• Running back Justice Hill has rushed for at least 100 yards in three of the last six games. The only other Cowboy true freshmen to rush for 100 yards or more three times in a season are Thurman Thomas (three times in 1984) and Andre Richardson (three times in 1994).

The Series

Despite Oklahoma State winning each of its last seven and eight of its last nine meetings with Texas Tech, the Red Raiders still hold a 21-19-3 all-time series lead over the Cowboys. The Cowboys' current seven-game winning streak is the longest for either team in the series. OSU owns an 11-8 advantage in Stillwater and has won six straight over the Red Raiders in Boone Pickens Stadium. The last time Texas Tech tasted victory in Stillwater was 2001. Mike Gundy is 9-2 all-time vs. Texas Tech and 5-0 in Stillwater, while fourth-year Red Raider coach Kliff Kingsbury is 0-3 against the Cowboys.

High-Powered history

If recent history is any indicator, expect fireworks when Oklahoma State and Texas Tech clash. At least 72 points have been scored in seven of the last eight meetings between the Cowboys and Red Raiders, including a 123-point eruption in Lubbock last season. Some notable matchups between the two:

1988 - Oklahoma State 45, Texas Tech 42 (game played in Tokyo, Japan)
Just nine hours after being announced as the winner of the Heisman Trophy, Barry Sanders carried 42 times for 257 yards and four touchdowns and added four catches for 79 yards in lifting the Cowboys to victory. From the 6:32 mark of the second quarter through the 7:43 mark of the game, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech combined to score on 11 of 12 possessions. The two teams finished with a combined 1,194 yards of offense.

2003 in Stillwater - Oklahoma State 51, Texas Tech 49
Oklahoma State held a 48-21 lead entering the fourth quarter, but Texas Tech stormed back to cut the lead to 51-49 after a B.J. Symons-to-Wes Welker touchdown pass with 3:51 left. The Cowboys failed on a fake punt attempt on the ensuing drive to give the Red Raiders the ball on their own 35 yard line with 2:08 to play and a very real chance to take the lead. However, OSU defensive end Greg Richmond pressured Symons into an ill-timed pass that was intercepted by Jon Holland to lock up the Cowboy victory. The two teams combined for 1,334 yards of offense (673 for OSU and 661 for TTU) and 67 first downs. The game took four hours and 20 minutes.

2005 in Stillwater - Oklahoma State 24, No. 13 Texas Tech 17
In the only Big 12 win for Mike Gundy during his first season as head coach, the Cowboys, riding a five-game losing streak entering the game, improbably scored a win over 13th-ranked Texas Tech. OSU held the high-powered Red Raiders scoreless in the first half and without a touchdown until the fourth quarter. Still, the game was tied at 17 when the Cowboys took possession on their own 20 yard line with 6:43 to play. Behind its running game, OSU chewed up all but the game's final 23 seconds before quarterback Al Peña plunged in for the game-winning touchdown.

2006 in Lubbock - Texas Tech 30, Oklahoma State 24
The game wasn't decided until Bobby Reid's pass attempt to D'Juan Woods from 17 yards out fell incomplete in the end zone on the final play of the game. OSU raced to a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter, but the Red Raiders rattled off 27 unanswered points of their own to take a 27-17 lead into the final stanza. Reid connected with Adarius Bowman for a 34-yard touchdown pass with 12:03 left to set the stage for a tense fourth quarter. The Red Raiders were able to keep the high-powered Cowboys off the scoreboard down the stretch to seal their win.

2007 in Stillwater - Oklahoma State 49, Texas Tech 45
After both teams' offenses ran amok throughout the contest, it was a defensive play - specifically a tipped pass by OSU safety Ricky Price in the end zone - that kept Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell from connecting with receiver Michael Crabtree on what would have the go-ahead score with just 19 seconds remaining. The game featured six ties and five lead changes. The two offenses combined for 1,328 yards of total offense, with Harrell passing for 646 yards and the Cowboys rushing for 378.

2013 in Lubbock - Oklahoma State 52, Texas Tech 34
Oklahoma State raced out to a 21-0 lead to start its game at No. 15 Texas Tech and never surrendered its advantage in claiming a 52-34 win over the Red Raiders in front of a record crowd at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock. The Cowboys rushed for 281 yards and five touchdowns, forced three Texas Tech turnovers, blocked a punt and returned a punt to the Red Raider 11 yard line to position themselves for success. However, perhaps the biggest deciding factor was red zone execution, as the Cowboys were six of six in the red zone with six touchdowns, while TTU was able to muster only two touchdowns and two field goals in its seven red zone trips.

2015 in Lubbock - Oklahoma State 70, Texas Tech 53
Texas Tech held a 31-14 lead early in the second quarter, but OSU continually chipped away and outscored the Red Raiders by a 42-15 margin in the second half to claim victory in the highest-scoring game in the history of the series. The two teams combined for 1,304 yards of offense in the game, but the OSU defense stepped to the fore in the second half, holding Texas Tech scoreless on eight of its 10 possessions, including two interceptions, a fumble recovery and two turnovers on downs.

Connections

• Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy and Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury are two of only 18 active head coaches at their alma mater.
• Oklahoma State cornerbacks coach Tim Duffie was a two-year starter and a four-year letterman as a player under Spike Dykes at Texas Tech from 1996-99.
• Oklahoma State linebacker Jordan Burton and Texas Tech Broderick Washington both hail from Longview (TX) HS.
• Oklahoma State safety Jordan Sterns attended Cibolo (TX) Steele HS, which also produced Texas Tech running back Justin Stockton and offensive lineman Terence Steele.
• Oklahoma State running back Chris Carson and Texas Tech defensive lineman Mychealon Thomas both played at Butler CC.
• Oklahoma State defensive tackle Darrion Daniels and Texas Tech defensive back Peyton Hendrix were teammates at Bishop Dunne HS in Dallas.
• Oklahoma State receiver Austin Hays came from the same Ronald Reagan HS program in San Antonio that produced Texas Tech deep snapper Kyle Heffron.
• OSU receiver James Washington hails from Stamford, Texas, which is two hours and 15 minutes east of Lubbock.
• Texas Tech receiver Cameron Batson hails from Oklahoma City.