Oklahoma State Set for Road Game at Iowa State

Saturday, October 23

Ames, IA

2:30 P.M. CT

Oklahoma State University

Iowa State

Photo by: OSU Athletics

October 18, 2021 | Cowboy Football

Complete Notes Available Here

The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (6-0 overall; 3-0 Big 12) travels to Ames, Iowa, this week to face Iowa State (4-2 overall; 2-1 Big 12) on Saturday, October 23, in Jack Trice Stadium with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. CT.

On the Air
The game will be televised by FOX with Aaron Goldsmith and Brock Huard on the call. It 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 The Varsity Network app.

In the Rankings
Oklahoma State was voted a season-high No. 8 in this week's edition of the AP Top 25, continuing a streak of 14 consecutive seasons in the poll. The streak, which began in 2008, is the 10th-longest active streak in the nation. Including this season, OSU has appeared in the top 15 of the AP poll in 12 of the past 14 seasons. It has also seen a top 10 ranking in the AP poll at some point in 10 of those 14 years. The Cowboys are also No. 9 in this week's USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. OSU has been included in the coaches poll in each week of the 2021 season. Although the first 2021 College Football Playoff rankings won't be released until November 2, it's worth noting that OSU has been part of the CFP rankings in five of the past six seasons entering 2021. Iowa State is not ranked this week but is receiving votes in both the AP and the coaches poll.

The Series
Saturday's game marks the 56th meeting between Oklahoma State and Iowa State, with the series dating back to 1926. The 2021 season also marks the 11th consecutive year the teams have met. OSU owns a 33-19-3 all-time series advantage, including a 15-12-1 advantage in Ames. OSU has won 10 of the past 12 matchups, as well as each of the past four games played in Ames. Coach Mike Gundy is 10-3 in his career against Iowa State, while ISU coach Matt Campbell is 1-4 in his career against OSU.

Oklahoma State from a Distance
Oklahoma State has established itself as a top-tier program in the nation in recent history, ranking among the top 10 programs nationally in wins since 2010. The Cowboys have won 72.8% of their games (107-40) during that timeframe and have school-record streaks of 15 consecutive bowl bids and 15 consecutive winning seasons. In 2021, the Cowboys are 6-0 for the first time since 2015 and for the fifth time in the Mike Gundy era. Oklahoma State has battled through four one-possession wins so far this season and keeps finding ways to win. The Cowboys have a made a statement with their past three wins, as victories over Kansas State, Baylor and Texas marked the first time in school history that OSU has beaten AP-ranked opponents in three consecutive games. The most recent win over Texas came in thrilling fashion, as the Cowboys erased a 14-point deficit (their largest of the season) in the first half and came back to earn a 32-24 win on the road. In the most impressive stat of the game, OSU's offense gained 170 yards and scored 16 points in the fourth quarter alone, while the defense shutout the Longhorns and held them to a single yard in the final quarter. Running back Jaylen Warren has been OSU's most impressive player on offense this season. He has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the past four games for a total of 659 rushing yards (164.8 per game), and he is now the only player with two of the top five single-game rushing yardage totals in the Big 12 this season, including No. 1 (218 at Boise State) and No. 5 (193 at Texas). His 193 rushing yards in last week's win at Texas accounted for nearly half of OSU's offensive yardage in the game, and he rushed 13 times for 118 yards in the fourth quarter alone. Warren now ranks No. 7 in the FBS with 117.5 rushing yards per game this year, despite limited playing time as a backup in each of the first two games. Junior quarterback Spencer Sanders is a threat with both his arm and his legs. He is one of just three quarterbacks in school history with more than 4,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in his career, and his 235.0 yards of total offense per game in 2021 ranks in the top five among all Big 12 players. Sanders' top target has been wide receiver Tay Martin, who leads the team in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns despite missing nearly all of two games. Martin has produced three 100-yard receiving games this season and is OSU's most dangerous weapon on the outside. Since Jim Knowles arrived as defensive coordinator in 2018, the Cowboy defense has gone from allowing 6.04 yards per play in 2018, to 5.79 in 2019, 5.32 in 2020 and now 4.71 so far in 2021. If the Cowboys hold that average this season, it will mark the best since the 2009 season when OSU allowed just 4.70 yards per play. One of the biggest reasons for the that success is that OSU has had at least nine senior starters in each game this year, led by linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez. Through six games, Rodriguez ranks No. 8 in the FBS with 10.0 total tackles per game.

An Oklahoma State Win Would...
• Make it 7-0 for the first time since 2015 and for the fourth time in the Mike Gundy era.
• Mark its ninth straight win, securing its longest winning streak since OSU won 12 straight from 2014-15. OSU's eight-game winning streak entering the game is the third-longest active streak in the FBS.
• Make it 11-2 in its past 13 games and 9-1 in its past 10 games against Iowa State.
• Give it five straight wins against Iowa State in Ames.
• Make the Cowboys 34-19-3 all-time vs. Iowa State and 16-12-1 in Ames.
• Improve Mike Gundy's career record vs. Iowa State to 11-3.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 87-55.
• Improve it to 15-3 in its past 18 games, dating back to the 2020 season.
• Make it 143-66 in its history when playing as an AP-ranked team.
• Make it 131-37 in its history when playing as a higher AP-ranked team than its opponent.
• Make it 78-16 in its past 94 games vs. opponents outside of the AP Top 25, dating back to 2010.

Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• OSU's defense has allowed fewer than 100 yards of offense in a half in each of its past five games. The Cowboys limited Baylor to 99 yards in the first, Tulsa to 89 yards in the first, Boise State to 64 yards in the second, Kansas State to 84 yards in the second and Texas to 92 yards in the second.
• OSU has held its opponent scoreless on its game-opening drive in 18 of the past 23 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50 percent third down conversion rate in 17 straight games.
• OSU has held its opponent to fewer than 20 first downs in five straight games.
• OSU has held 15 of its past 17 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average.
• Malcolm Rodriguez has recorded at least six tackles in 11 straight games.
• Jaylen Warren has more than 100 yards rushing in four straight games.
• Jaylen Warren has scored a rushing touchdown in five of his past seven games played.
• OSU has won 75 consecutive games when holding its opponent to fewer than 20 points, dating back to Sept. 13, 2003 – the longest active stretch of time in the FBS and longest since at least 1980.
• OSU is 30-10 in its past 40 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 35-5 in its past 40 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• Dating back to 2005, OSU is 42-3 when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to 2008, OSU is 67-8 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won three of its past four overtime games.
• OSU has forced 18 turnovers in its past 10 games.
• OSU has had a 100-yard rusher in 11 of its past 16 games.