Oklahoma State Ready for Road Matchup at K-State

Complete Notes Available Here

The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (6-1 overall; 3-1 Big 12) travels to Manhattan, Kansas, this week to face Kansas State (5-2 overall; 3-1 Big 12), with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 29, in Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

On the Air
The game will be televised by FOX with Jason Benetti, Brock Huard and Allison Williams 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
The Oklahoma State football team was voted No. 9 this week in both the AP Top 25 and the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. It marks the 20th consecutive AP poll that the Cowboys have been ranked in the top 15, which continues the longest streak in school history.        Including 2022, OSU has now reached the top 10 of the AP poll at some point in 11 of the past 15 seasons and has seen a top 15 ranking in the AP poll in 13 of those 15 seasons. Although the first College Football Playoff rankings won't be released until November 1, it's worth noting that OSU has been part of the CFP rankings in six of the past seven seasons entering 2022. Kansas State is ranked No. 22 in both major polls. It marks the third consecutive AP-ranked opponent that Oklahoma State has faced, as well as its fourth in its past five games.

20 Straight Polls in the AP Top 15
Oklahoma State has been ranked in the top 15 of every Associated Press poll since October 3, 2021, which is a school record streak of 20 consecutive sets of rankings. Here are longest streaks in school history:

            Consecutive Polls in the AP Top 15
            1.          20        (2021-22)
            2.         17         (2016-17)
                        17         (2010-11)
            4.         14         (1984)
            5.         12         (1988)
            6.         11          (1985)
            7.         9          (2008)
            8.         8          (2015)

The Series
Saturday's game marks the 69th overall meeting between Oklahoma State and Kansas State in a series that dates to 1908. The 2022 season also marks the 13th consecutive year the teams have played. OSU holds a 42-26 all-time advantage in the series, including a 19-17 edge in games played in Manhattan. The Cowboys have won nine of the past 13 meetings in the series, including each of the past three, and have won two of the past three games played in Manhattan. Coach Mike Gundy is 9-5 in his career against K-State, while KSU coach Chris Klieman is 0-3 against the Cowboys.

Oklahoma State from a Distance
The No. 9 Oklahoma State football team is 6-1 following comeback win over then-No. 20 Texas in last week's game. It marks the second straight season and the ninth time in the Mike Gundy era that the Cowboys have started 6-1 or better. The Cowboys are now 20-3 in their past 23 overall games, are on a school-record home winning streak of 13 straight games and have also faired well on the road by winning three of their past four and six of their past eight road games. Coach Mike Gundy's team pillars of "Discipline and Toughness" (DAT for short), have continued a years-long run of success into this season, and the Cowboys are still putting impressive numbers to back up the motto. The most telling "DAT" stat of the season so far might be the fact that Oklahoma State ranks No. 1 in the FBS in fewest penalties this season with only 27 total in seven games played. On top of that, the Cowboys accomplished something in last week's win over Texas that had never been done in program history by finishing the game with a final stat line that showed 0 penalties for 0 yards. Offensively, Oklahoma State has the No. 3 scoring offense in the FBS at 44.7 points per game. Led by four-year starting quarterback Spencer Sanders, the Cowboy passing attack ranks No. 14 nationally. Sanders is the Big 12 leader and among the FBS leaders in total offense, points responsible for, passing yards and more. Among non-super seniors, Sanders ranks No. 2 in the FBS in career yards of total offense, and he is also now the Oklahoma State record-holder in career rushing yards by a quarterback. He is bolstered by a talented group of wide receivers that includes Bryson Green, who scored last week's game-winning touchdown, Brennan Presley, John Paul Richardson, Braydon Johnson, Stephon Johnson Jr. and more, as well as a running back room that includes standouts Dominic Richardson, Jaden Nixon and Ollie Gordon. Defensively, OSU is excelling again on third down, allowing a conversion rate of only 25.5% for the fourth-best mark in the FBS. The Cowboys are ranked No. 7 nationally with an average of 8.6 tackles for loss per game, and those numbers are anchored by one of the deepest and most experienced defensive lines in college football. Safety Jason Taylor II - a semifinalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award - is the Big 12 leader and ranked among the top 20 FBS players in solo tackles, interceptions and passes defended, and in the win over Texas he recorded two interceptions to help seal the win. Defensive end Tyler Lacy and linebacker Mason Cobb have been the biggest contributors when it comes to tackles for loss, as both average 1.21 per game to tie for the second-best average among all Big 12 players. Special teams play has also made a big impact this season. The Cowboys rank No. 5 in the FBS with an average of 27.95 yards per kickoff return, and kicker Tanner Brown is putting up Groza Award-worthy numbers as one of only two FBS kickers who have attempted at least 15 field goals and hit on more than 90% of them.

An Oklahoma State Win Would ...
• Make it 7-1 or better for the second straight season and for the eighth time in the Mike Gundy era.
• Make it 7-2 in its past nine road games.
• Give it wins in nine of its past 10 regular season conference games.
• Give it four-straight wins over Kansas State, as well as wins in 10 of its past 14 games vs. K-State.
• Give it wins in three of its past four games played against KSU in Manhattan.
• Improve its record against Kansas State to 43-26 and it record against K-State in Manhattan to 20-17.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record against Kansas State to 10-5.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 95-57.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in road games to 54-36.
• Make it 21-3 in its past 24 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season. The 21 wins would match the school record for wins over a 24-game stretch. It was previously accomplished from 2010-12.
• Make it 155-69 in its history when playing as an AP-ranked team.
• Make it 142-40 in its history when playing as a higher AP-ranked team than its opponent.
• Make it 9-2 in its past 11 and 18-7 in its past 25 games vs. AP Top 25 teams.
• Mark Mike Gundy's 39th 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.
• Make it 11-4 in its past 15 games when both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25.
• Improve it to 33-24 vs. AP ranked teams since the beginning of the 2011 season.

Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• Spencer Sanders has thrown for 19 touchdowns against just four interceptions in his past 330 pass attempts for an interception rate of 1.2%.
• OSU has won a school-record 13 consecutive home games.
• OSU has won three of its past four road games.
• OSU has held 26 of its past 28 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average.
• OSU has won 81 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 has held its opponent scoreless on its game-opening drive in 28 of its past 38 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 31 of its past 32 games.
• OSU is 33-13 in its past 46 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 43-7 in its past 50 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• Dating back to 2005, OSU is 45-4 when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to 2008, OSU is 73-8 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won three of its past five overtime games.
• OSU has forced 38 turnovers in its past 25 games.
• Over the past 32 games, OSU has held opponents to 132-for-484 (27.3%) on third down.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Tanner Brown

Mason Cobb

Bryson Green

Braydon Johnson

Stephon Johnson Jr.

Tyler Lacy

Jaden Nixon

Brennan Presley

Dominic Richardson

John Paul Richardson

Spencer Sanders

Jason Taylor II

Oklahoma State University Athletics