Game Notes: Cowboys Take Aim at No. 7 West Virginia

Saturday, November 17

Stillwater, OK

2:30 p.m. CT

Oklahoma State University

West Virginia

Tickets

Tylan Wallace vs Boise State September 15, 2018

November 12, 2018 | Cowboy Football

Complete Release in PDF Format

The Basics

The Oklahoma State football team (5-5 overall; 2-5 Big 12) hosts No. 7/7 West Virginia (8-1 overall; 6-1 Big 12) Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in the final home game of the 2018 season. The matchup represents OSU's Senior Day, the third matchup this season against an A.P. top-seven opponent, and the third time in school history the Cowboys have faced A.P. top-seven opponents in back-to-back games.

Get Your Tickets

Saturday's game marks the final chance this year to watch a game at Boone Pickens Stadium. Tickets for the matchup are still available and start at $90. Tailgating locations for Saturday may be reserved starting at 6 p.m. Thursday. Fans can get in touch with the OSU ticket office at www.okstate.com/tickets or by calling 877-ALL-4-OSU. Fans can also text the OSU ticket office at 877-255-4678.

On the Air

The game will be televised by ABC with Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge and Holly Rowe 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.

The Series

Saturday's game marks the 10th meeting between Oklahoma State and West Virginia and the seventh consecutive season the teams have faced each other. OSU leads the all-time series, 5-4, while the series in Stillwater is split at an even 2-2. The Cowboys have won three in a row over the Mountaineers, marking the longest streak for either side in the series.
OSU won last year's meeting at WVU, 50-39, and won the last meeting in Stillwater, 37-20, in 2016. Mike Gundy is 4-2 in his coaching career against WVU, while Dana Holgorsen in 2-4 in his career against OSU.

Noting the Gundy Coaching Tree

West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen was offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State under Mike Gundy in 2010 and Mountaineer offensive coordinator Jake Spavital was a graduate assistant on that same Cowboy staff.
Other notable members of the Gundy coaching tree include North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Oregon offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, Florida State offensive coordinator Walt Bell, Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Brad Cornelson, North Texas offensive Coordinator Graham Harrell, Ole Miss co-defensive coordinator Jason Jones, TCU co-offensive coordinator Curtis Luper, Temple defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker and Tulsa defensive coordinator Bill Young.

High-End Competition

    Saturday's game against No. 7 West Virginia marks OSU's fourth opponent this season to be ranked in the A.P. poll, as well as the third opponent of the year and second consecutive opponent to be ranked in the top seven.
    Only twice before have the Cowboys played back-to-back games against top-seven opponents: 2004 against No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 6 Texas, and 1986 vs. No. 3 Nebraska and No. 5 Oklahoma.
    Saturday's game also marks the second straight top-seven opponent to visit Stillwater, as the Cowboys defeated No. 6 Texas in their latest game at home. It marks the first time since 1989 and the fifth time ever that back-to-back games in Stillwater have featured top-seven competition, adding to 1989 (No. 4 Nebraska and No. 2 Colorado), 1979 (No. 2 Nebraska and No. 7 Oklahoma), 1977-78 (No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 2 Arkansas) and 1975 (No. 4 Nebraska and No. 2 Oklahoma).
    It is the sixth time that OSU has faced at least three top-seven opponents in a season, including 2008 (four), 1990 (three), 1978 (three), 1972 (three) and 1971 (three).

Wallace For Biletnikoff and All-American

Tylan Wallace was announced as one of 11 semifinalists for the 2018 Biletnikoff Award this week, and makes a strong case for being the most deserving recipient. He is averaging more catches and yards per game than each of the past three Biletnikoff Award winners, and his 18.85 yards per catch is also greater than 13 of the past 15 Biletnikoff Award winners. He leads the nation in 10-yard catches, 20-yard catches, catches on passes thrown 15-yards downfield, yards per reception (min. 50 catches), 100-yard games and 200-yard games. He also leads all Power Five players with 55 first down catches.

An Oklahoma State Win Would...

• Make OSU bowl eligible for its 13th consecutive season, extending a school record. The streak is also the 10th-longest active bowl streak in the nation.
• Make OSU 5-1 in its past six games vs. opponents ranked in the top 25 of the A.P. poll.
• Mark Mike Gundy's eighth career win over an AP top-10 opponent and the 19th in OSU history.
• Mark OSU's second win over an A.P. top-seven team this season.
• Mark the fourth time in school history OSU has beaten two A.P. top-10 teams in one season.
• Give OSU four straight wins vs WVU, extending the longest streak for either team in the series.
• Improve the Cowboys to 24-9 in their last 33 games and 38-14 in their last 52 games overall.
• Make the Cowboys 6-4 all-time vs. WVU.
• Make OSU 40-12 at Boone Pickens Stadium since the start of the 2011 season.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 72-47.
• Improve the Cowboys to 53-26 in Big 12 Conference games since 2010.

Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game

• Oklahoma State has won 23 of its last 32 games overall.
• OSU is 16-5 in its last 21 games decided by less than 10 points.
• OSU has scored a touchdown on its opening drive in five of its last six games.
• OSU has won 20 of its last 21 games when leading at halftime, dating to Sept. 17, 2016.
• Justice Hill has a rushing touchdown in 14 of his last 16 games.
• Justice Hill has rushed for at least 100 yards in five of 10 games this season, in 12 of his last 20 games and in 16 of his last 27 games. He has 19 100-yard rushing games in his career.
• Matt Ammendola has made 24 of his last 30 field goal attempts, and 26 of his last 33 tries.
• OSU has won three straight overtime games.
• OSU has had at least one 100-yard receiver in 12 of its last 15 games.
• OSU has had a 100-yard rusher in 15 of its last 24 games.
• OSU has outrushed its opponent in 16 of its last 24 games and in 18 of its last 27 games.
• Oklahoma State has won 37 of its last 51 games overall, dating back to the end of the 2014 season.
• OSU has forced at least one turnover in 34 of its last 37 games and in 43 of the last 47 games, dating to 2015.
• Dating back to 2005, the Cowboys have won 35 of their last 37 games when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to 2008, the Cowboys have won 58 of their last 63 games when winning the turnover battle.
• Dillon Stoner has at least one catch in each of his last 22 games.