Oklahoma State Hosts Baylor to Kick Off October Slate

Saturday, October 2

Stillwater, OK

6 p.m. CT

Oklahoma State University

Baylor

Tickets

Photo by: OSU Athletics

September 27, 2021 | Cowboy Football

Complete Notes Available Here

The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (4-0 overall; 1-0 Big 12) hosts a second straight home game this week, facing Baylor (4-0 overall; 2-0 Big 12) on Saturday, Oct. 2, in Boone Pickens Stadium with kickoff set for 6 p.m. CT.

On the Air
The game will be televised by ESPN2 with Mark Jones, Robert Griffin III and Quint Kessenich 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 No. 19 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. The Cowboys also climbed to a season-high No. 18 in the Week 5 edition of the 2021 USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. OSU has been included in the coaches poll in each week of the 2021 season and has also received votes in every week of the 2021 AP Top 25. Entering 2021, OSU had reached the top 15 of the AP poll at some point in 11 of the past 13 seasons and had seen a top 10 ranking in the AP poll at some point in nine of those 13 years. 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. Baylor is also ranked in both major polls this week, coming in at No. 21 in the AP poll and No. 24 in the coaches poll. The Bears represent the second straight AP-ranked opponent for the Cowboys after OSU knocked off No. 25 Kansas State last week.

The Series
Saturday's game marks the 40th overall meeting between Oklahoma State and Baylor in a series that dates to 1914. The 2021 season also marks the 26th consecutive year the teams have played, beginning with the first season of Big 12 Conference play in 1996. OSU holds a 21-18 all-time advantage in the series, including a 13-7 edge in games played in Stillwater. OSU has won 18 of the past 25 matchups with Baylor, as well as 12 of the past 14 matchups played in Stillwater. A win over the Bears Saturday would give the Cowboys back-to-back wins vs. BU for the first time since OSU won six straight from 2006-2011. Coach Mike Gundy is 9-7 in his career against Baylor, while Baylor coach Dave Aranda is 0-1 in his career against Oklahoma State.

Oklahoma State from a Distance
Oklahoma State football has established itself as a top-tier program in the nation in recent history, becoming one of just 10 Power Five programs with more than 100 wins since 2010. The Cowboys have won 72.4% of their games (105-40) during that timeframe and have school-record streaks of 15 consecutive bowl bids and 15 consecutive winning seasons. In 2021, the Cowboys are 4-0 for a second consecutive year and for the sixth time in the Mike Gundy era. Oklahoma State battled through one-possession, shorthanded wins in the first three games of the season but had its best performance in last week's 31-20 win over No. 25 Kansas State. OSU is led on offense by quarterback Spencer Sanders, who turned in his best game of the young season against the Wildcats by throwing for 344 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions while completing 22 of his 34 pass attempts (65 percent). He also rushed for a touchdown and totaled 10 completions of at least 17 yards. 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 the Tulsa and Boise State games. OSU's most productive player this season, however, is transfer running back Jaylen Warren, who has had more than 200 yards from scrimmage in each of the past two games. He earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors after his 218-yard rushing day in OSU's road win at Boise State, then followed that with 123 rushing yards and 81 receiving yards in OSU's win against Kansas State. He now ranks No. 18 in the FBS with 126.0 yards from scrimmage per game. On the defensive side, OSU has continued to build on its success since the arrival of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles in 2018. During his time in Stillwater, 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 4.53 so far in 2021. If the Cowboys hold that average this season, it would mark the best since the 1985 season when OSU allowed just 4.33 yards per play. One of the biggest reasons for the that success is that OSU has had 10 senior starters in each game this year, led by linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez. Through four games, Rodriguez ranks No. 5 in the FBS with 7.2 tackles per game and No. 6 with 10.8 total tackles per game. He also ranks No. 12 with a pair of forced fumbles, No. 19 with a fumble recovery and has made game-changing plays every Saturday this season. Safety Kolby Harvell-Peel has also been a key factor, as he ranks No. 13 nationally with two interceptions.

An Oklahoma State Win Would...
• Make it 5-0 for the first time since 2015 and for the fifth time in the Mike Gundy era.
• Mark its seventh straight win, securing its longest winning streak since OSU won seven straight in 2016. OSU's six-game winning streak entering the game is tied for the sixth-longest active streak in the FBS.
• Make the Cowboys 22-18 all-time vs. Baylor and 14-7 vs. Baylor in Stillwater.
• Give it two straight wins vs. Baylor for the first time since OSU won six straight from 2006-11.
• Make it 19-7 in its past 26 games against Baylor.
• Make it 13-2 in its past 15 home games against Baylor.
• Improve Mike Gundy's career record vs. Baylor to 10-7.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 85-55.
• Improve it to 13-3 in its past 16 games, 22-8 in its past 30 games, 46-18 in its past 64 games and 60-24 in its past 84 games.
• Make it 141-66 in its history when playing as an AP-ranked team.
• Make it 5-2 in its last seven games when both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25.
• Make it 129-37 in its history when playing as a higher AP-ranked team than its opponent.
• Make it 12-5 in its past 17 games and 16-8 in its past 24 games vs. AP Top 25 teams.
• Improve it to 27-22 vs. AP ranked teams since the beginning of the 2011 season.
• Mark Mike Gundy's 33rd career win vs. AP Top 25 opponents. Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney are the only other active coaches with more wins over AP Top 25 teams at their current schools.

Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• OSU has held its opponent scoreless on its game-opening drive in 17 of the past 21 games and six of the past eight.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50 percent third down conversion rate in 15 straight games.
• OSU has held 13 of its past 15 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average.
• Malcolm Rodriguez has recorded at least seven tackles in nine straight games.
• Jaylen Warren has scored a rushing touchdown in four of his past five games played.
• OSU has won 74 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 29-10 in its past 39 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 34-5 in its past 39 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 66-8 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won three of its last four overtime games.
• OSU has forced 16 turnovers in its last eight games.
• OSU has had a 100-yard rusher in nine of its past 14 games.