Game Notes: Cowboys Headed to Lubbock for First Big 12 Road Game

Complete Notes in PDF Format

The Basics
   The No. 15/14 Oklahoma State football team (3-1 overall; 0-1 Big 12) travels to Lubbock, Texas for its first Big 12 road trip of the 2017 season. The Cowboys square off with the Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-0 overall; 0-0 Big 12) in Jones AT&T Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. CT on FOX.

On the Air
   The game will be televised by FOX with Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft 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 for free through TuneIn Radio or the TuneIn Radio app.

In the Rankings
   Oklahoma State is ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press poll and is No. 14 in the Amway Coaches Poll. The Cowboys have been ranked in the top 15 of both polls since week 12 of the 2016 season.
   Including this season, OSU has now reached the top 15 of the A.P. poll at some point in nine of the past 10 seasons and the top 10 of the A.P. poll in eight of the last 10 seasons. This week's game at Texas Tech marks the 88th time in the Cowboys' last 119 games that OSU has been ranked by the A.P. entering a game.
   Texas Tech enters the game unranked, but the Red Raiders are receiving votes in both polls.
   Although the first College Football Playoff rankings of 2017 aren't released until October 31, it is worth noting that the Cowboys are one of only seven teams to be ranked in every set of CFP rankings since the beginning of 2015, joining Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Michigan, Ohio State and Utah.

The Series
   The series between Oklahoma State and Texas Tech is a tight one, with TTU holding a 21-20-3 all-time series advantage, and a 12-6-2 advantage in Lubbock. The Cowboys have owned the series of late, though, winning the last eight matchups and the last four games in Lubbock - OSU has not lost to TTU since 2008. Mike Gundy is 10-2 in his career against Texas Tech, and Kliff Kingsbury is 0-4 against OSU.

Oklahoma State From a Distance
   The Cowboys are 3-1 on the year after being handed their first loss of the season by TCU last week. OSU continued to put up big offensive numbers in the game (499 yards of offense), but untimely penalties, TCU's third-down offense and turnovers ultimately sealed the 44-31 win for the Horned Frogs in a game the Cowboys cut down to six points in the fourth quarter. Prior to that game, the Cowboys rolled through the three game non-conference portion of their schedule, winning by a combined score of 162-52.
   Quarterback Mason Rudolph has been, as expected, the biggest story of the OSU football season thus far. The senior Heisman candidate has continued to rewrite the OSU record book, setting the school record for career passing yards at South Alabama, the school record for passing yards in a half at Pittsburgh as he threw for 423 yards and five touchdowns before halftime and last week becoming OSU's all-time leader in total offense, just to name a few.
   Perhaps Rudolph's biggest asset is his receiving corps. In just four games, OSU has had seven 100-yard single game receiving performances, with four different players contributing at least one: James Washington (three), Marcell Ateman (two), Jalen McCleskey (one) and Dillon Stoner (one). Those four all had a 100-yard day at Pittsburgh, marking the most in a game in OSU history and the first time FBS team has had four 100-yard receivers in a game since Texas Tech did it in 2005.
   The defense has been opportunistic on the season, scoring three defensive touchdowns - one in each of the first three games - to rank second nationally this season. The Cowboys have started games strongly as well, allowing just six first-quarter points all season.

Texas Tech From a Distance
   Texas Tech is facing Oklahoma State in its first conference game of the 2017 season, as well as its first game against a ranked opponent. The Red Raiders have gone 3-0 with wins over Eastern Washington, 56-10, Arizona State, 52-45, and Houston, 27-24.
   The Red Raider offense has put up plenty of big numbers as well, ranking third nationally with 587.3 yards per game and holding the second-best passing offense in the nation at 437.7 yards per game. Senior quarterback Nic Shimonek leads the way for the offense as the only quarterback in the Big 12 averaging more passing yards per game than Mason Rudolph. Shimonek's top target is junior receiver Keke Coutee, who has 28 receptions for 446 yards and four touchdowns on the year.
   Defensively, TTU has made its living off of turnovers as their 2.33 turnover margin per game is the second-best in the country.

An Oklahoma State Win Would...
· Mark the eighth time it has won at least four of its first five games during the Mike Gundy era.
· Even its all-time record vs. Texas Tech at 21-21-3.
· Mark its ninth straight win over Texas Tech to match its longest active winning streak over any opponent. OSU has also won nine straight in its series against Louisiana.
· Mark its fifth-straight win over Texas Tech in Lubbock - the longest road streak for either team in the series.
· Improve Mike Gundy's record against Texas Tech to 11-2.
· Give the Cowboys wins in 12 of their last 14 true road games.
· Give the Cowboys wins in 12 of their last 14 games overall.
· Improve the Cowboys to 56-6 in their last 62 games against unranked opponents, dating back to 2010.
· Give the Cowboys wins in 22 of their last 23 games when playing as a ranked team against an unranked opponent.
· Improve Mike Gundy's record in conference games to 64-40.
· Improve the Cowboys to 45-19 in Big 12 Conference games since 2010.

Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
· Oklahoma State has won 11 of its last 13 games overall.
· QB Mason Rudolph has thrown 35 touchdown passes against just five interceptions in his last 13 games.
· Receiver James Washington has at least one catch in each of his last 36 games - the second longest active streak in the country.
· Receiver Jalen McCleskey has at least one catch in each of his last 26 games.
· The Cowboys are outscoring their opponents in the first quarter, 66-6, this year, and have not allowed a first quarter point in five of their last six games.
· OSU is 11-1 in its last 12 games decided by less than 10 points.
· Oklahoma State has outrushed its opponent in four of its last five games and in six of its last eight games.
· Oklahoma State has won 25 of its last 32 games overall, dating back to the end of the 2014 season.
· Oklahoma State has scored at least 20 points in each of its last 33 games - the second-longest active streak in the nation, trailing only Oregon's streak of 44 straight.
· Oklahoma State's defense has forced at least one turnover in 18 straight games and in 27 of the last 28 games, dating back to 2015.
· OSU has scored a defensive touchdown in three of its last four games.
· Dating back to 2005, the Cowboys have won 30 of their last 32 games when not committing a turnover.
· Dating back to 2008, the Cowboys have won 52 of their last 57 games when winning the turnover battle.
· Oklahoma State has held its last 12 opponents to a total of minus-23 punt return yards.

Connections
· OSU WR Tyron Johnson and TTU DB Abraham Wallace went to LSU.
· OSU CB Lamarcus Morton and TTU QB McLane Carter went to Gilmer HS in Texas.
· OSU OL Larry Williams and TTU WR De'Quan Bowman and RB Tre King went to Hutchinson CC.
· OSU RB Ja'Ron Wilson, OL Lemaefe Galea'i and DT   Latu Maile and TTU DB John Davis, Jr. went to Trinity HS in Euless, Texas.
· OSU DT Latu Maile and TTU QB McLane Carter went to Tyler JC.
· OSU OL Deionte Noel and TTU WR Xavier Martin, RB Justin Stockton, WR Antoine Wesley and OL Terence Steele went to Steele HS in Cibolo, Texas.
· OSU WR Braydon Johnson and TTU OL Madison Akamnonu went to Bowie HS in Arlington, Texas.
· OSU safeties coach Dan Hammerschmidt and TTU DC David Gibbs and LB coach Zac Spavital were on staff at Houston in 2014.
· OSU OL coach Josh Henson and TTU special teams coordinator Joe Robinson were on staff at LSU in 2008. Robinson and OSU WR Kasey Dunn were on staff at Arizona from 2004-06.

Game Notes: Cowboys Headed to Lubbock for First Big 12 Road Game

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Players Mentioned

Marcell Ateman

Lemaefe Galea'i

Braydon Johnson

Tyron Johnson

Latu Maile

Jalen McCleskey

Lamarcus Morton

Deionte Noel

Mason Rudolph

Dillon Stoner

James Washington

Larry Williams

Ja'Ron Wilson

Oklahoma State University Athletics