Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Bruce Waterfield
Tracking the Trends: Texas
September 30, 2016 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – As the Oklahoma State football team prepares for Saturday's big home matchup against Texas, we take a look at streaks on the line and other trends to look out for this weekend.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Texas Game
• Oklahoma State has won 14 of its last 19 games overall, dating back to the end of the 2014 season.
• Oklahoma State has won four of its last six games played against teams from the state of Texas.
• An Oklahoma State running back has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the last two games. Prior to that, the last time the Cowboys had a 100-yard rusher in back-to-back games was Joseph Randle in the final two games of the 2012 regular season.
• Oklahoma State is outscoring its opponents by a 59-17 margin in the first quarter of games this season.
• Oklahoma State has attempted at least 40 passes in six of its last seven games.
• Oklahoma State has put up at least 500 yards of total offense each of the last two games.
• Oklahoma State's defense has forced at least one turnover in 14 of the last 15 games.
• Oklahoma State holds a 42-28 advantage in points off turnovers through four games this season.
• Dating back to 2005, the Cowboys have won 25 of their last 26 games when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to the 2008 season, the Cowboys have won 45 of their last 49 games when winning the turnover battle.
• Quarterback Mason Rudolph has thrown 18 touchdown passes against just four interceptions in his last 10 games, dating back to the 2015 season.
• Quarterback Mason Rudolph has thrown just two interceptions in 159 pass attempts this season.
• Receiver James Washington has at least one catch in each of his last 23 games.
• Receiver James Washington is averaging 7.5 receptions and 192.5 yards per receiving in his last two games.
• Of Zach Sinor's 16 punts this season, 12 have been downed inside the opponent 20-yard line, with no touchbacks.
Week Five Talking Points - Offense
• Oklahoma State did something last week at Baylor that it hasn't typically been known for. The Cowboys dominated the pace of the game in terms of time of possession. In fact, the Cowboys' 41:27 time of possession was the third largest time of possession total in school history and the most since OSU reached 42:58 in time of possession in 1999 against Baylor.
• The Cowboys have long been known for a quick-strike offensive attack, but several long drives fed into Oklahoma State's time of possession numbers. The Cowboys had four drives of at least 10 plays last week, while they had just two such drives all season entering the game. OSU had drives of 16 plays (75 yards in 7:14), 14 plays (75 yards in 6:56), 13 plays (60 yards in 5:38) and 11 plays (64 yards in 4:43) in the Baylor game.
• The biggest reason for the new play style came from the success of the Cowboys' running game, which had received its share of criticism this season and last. OSU finished with a season-best 213 rushing yards and true freshman Justice Hill carried 20 times for 122 yards and a touchdown, which is the most rushing yards for an OSU true freshman against a Big 12 opponent since the league was formed in 1996. Rennie Childs also added to the mix with a pair of rushing touchdowns to give him six in the last two games and quarterback Mason Rudolph even got in on the rushing action, totaling 30 yards on the ground (including minus-24 in sacks) with a highlight-reel 25-yard run to pick up a first down on 3rd-and-23.
• The Cowboy passing attack is formidable, averaging 340 yard per game to rank 11th in the country. Rudolph is the 11th-ranked passer nationally at 324 yards per game and his favorite target, James Washington, is ranked sixth in the country with 122 receiving yards per game. Washington, who has caught a pass in 23 consecutive games, is joined by Jalen McCleskey and Jhajuan Seales, who have both had their fair share of explosive plays this season as well.
Week Five Talking Points – Defense
• Forcing turnovers has long been a focal point of defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer's scheme. After four games in 2016, the Cowboys have been successful in that regard. Oklahoma State leads the Big 12 in turnovers gained with nine (14th nationally), fumbles recovered with six (fourth nationally) and defensive touchdowns with two (sixth nationally).
• Although nine players have contributed directly to the turnover numbers by recording fumble or interception statistics, no two players have had a bigger impact in that department than linebacker Devante Averette and cornerback Ramon Richards. Averette has two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries on the year, while Richards has two interceptions, with one clinching OSU's win over Pitt and the other being a would-be clincher vs. Central Michigan. If that's not impressive enough, the duo combined for one of the college football plays of the year in the season-opener when Averette forced and recovered a fumble before lateralling it back in bounds to Richards, who ran it in for a touchdown. Richards' two interceptions rank him 11th nationally and Averette's two fumble recoveries rank him fifth nationally.
• Tackles for loss have also long been a staple of the Cowboy defense, and this year the Cowboys have racked up 35 to rank among the top 15 teams in the country. The Cowboy defensive front has had the biggest impact on those numbers, as the D-line might be the deepest position group on the roster. Vincent Taylor, Motekiai Maile, Vili Leveni, Darrion Daniels, Eric Davis and DeQuinton Osborne have all bolstered the inside, while Cole Walterscheid, Jarrell Owens, Tralund Webber and Trey Carter have all demonstrated talent at defensive end.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Texas Game
• Oklahoma State has won 14 of its last 19 games overall, dating back to the end of the 2014 season.
• Oklahoma State has won four of its last six games played against teams from the state of Texas.
• An Oklahoma State running back has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the last two games. Prior to that, the last time the Cowboys had a 100-yard rusher in back-to-back games was Joseph Randle in the final two games of the 2012 regular season.
• Oklahoma State is outscoring its opponents by a 59-17 margin in the first quarter of games this season.
• Oklahoma State has attempted at least 40 passes in six of its last seven games.
• Oklahoma State has put up at least 500 yards of total offense each of the last two games.
• Oklahoma State's defense has forced at least one turnover in 14 of the last 15 games.
• Oklahoma State holds a 42-28 advantage in points off turnovers through four games this season.
• Dating back to 2005, the Cowboys have won 25 of their last 26 games when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to the 2008 season, the Cowboys have won 45 of their last 49 games when winning the turnover battle.
• Quarterback Mason Rudolph has thrown 18 touchdown passes against just four interceptions in his last 10 games, dating back to the 2015 season.
• Quarterback Mason Rudolph has thrown just two interceptions in 159 pass attempts this season.
• Receiver James Washington has at least one catch in each of his last 23 games.
• Receiver James Washington is averaging 7.5 receptions and 192.5 yards per receiving in his last two games.
• Of Zach Sinor's 16 punts this season, 12 have been downed inside the opponent 20-yard line, with no touchbacks.
Week Five Talking Points - Offense
• Oklahoma State did something last week at Baylor that it hasn't typically been known for. The Cowboys dominated the pace of the game in terms of time of possession. In fact, the Cowboys' 41:27 time of possession was the third largest time of possession total in school history and the most since OSU reached 42:58 in time of possession in 1999 against Baylor.
• The Cowboys have long been known for a quick-strike offensive attack, but several long drives fed into Oklahoma State's time of possession numbers. The Cowboys had four drives of at least 10 plays last week, while they had just two such drives all season entering the game. OSU had drives of 16 plays (75 yards in 7:14), 14 plays (75 yards in 6:56), 13 plays (60 yards in 5:38) and 11 plays (64 yards in 4:43) in the Baylor game.
• The biggest reason for the new play style came from the success of the Cowboys' running game, which had received its share of criticism this season and last. OSU finished with a season-best 213 rushing yards and true freshman Justice Hill carried 20 times for 122 yards and a touchdown, which is the most rushing yards for an OSU true freshman against a Big 12 opponent since the league was formed in 1996. Rennie Childs also added to the mix with a pair of rushing touchdowns to give him six in the last two games and quarterback Mason Rudolph even got in on the rushing action, totaling 30 yards on the ground (including minus-24 in sacks) with a highlight-reel 25-yard run to pick up a first down on 3rd-and-23.
• The Cowboy passing attack is formidable, averaging 340 yard per game to rank 11th in the country. Rudolph is the 11th-ranked passer nationally at 324 yards per game and his favorite target, James Washington, is ranked sixth in the country with 122 receiving yards per game. Washington, who has caught a pass in 23 consecutive games, is joined by Jalen McCleskey and Jhajuan Seales, who have both had their fair share of explosive plays this season as well.
Week Five Talking Points – Defense
• Forcing turnovers has long been a focal point of defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer's scheme. After four games in 2016, the Cowboys have been successful in that regard. Oklahoma State leads the Big 12 in turnovers gained with nine (14th nationally), fumbles recovered with six (fourth nationally) and defensive touchdowns with two (sixth nationally).
• Although nine players have contributed directly to the turnover numbers by recording fumble or interception statistics, no two players have had a bigger impact in that department than linebacker Devante Averette and cornerback Ramon Richards. Averette has two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries on the year, while Richards has two interceptions, with one clinching OSU's win over Pitt and the other being a would-be clincher vs. Central Michigan. If that's not impressive enough, the duo combined for one of the college football plays of the year in the season-opener when Averette forced and recovered a fumble before lateralling it back in bounds to Richards, who ran it in for a touchdown. Richards' two interceptions rank him 11th nationally and Averette's two fumble recoveries rank him fifth nationally.
• Tackles for loss have also long been a staple of the Cowboy defense, and this year the Cowboys have racked up 35 to rank among the top 15 teams in the country. The Cowboy defensive front has had the biggest impact on those numbers, as the D-line might be the deepest position group on the roster. Vincent Taylor, Motekiai Maile, Vili Leveni, Darrion Daniels, Eric Davis and DeQuinton Osborne have all bolstered the inside, while Cole Walterscheid, Jarrell Owens, Tralund Webber and Trey Carter have all demonstrated talent at defensive end.
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