Game Notes: OSU Travels to Baylor for First Road Game of 2022

Saturday, October 1

Waco, TX

2:30 p.m. CT

Oklahoma State University

Baylor

Image Taken at the Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Arizona State Sun Devils Football Game, Saturday, September 10, 2022, Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK. Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Game Notes: OSU Travels to Baylor for First Road Game of 2022

September 26, 2022 | Cowboy Football

Complete Notes Available Here

The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (3-0 overall; 0-0 Big 12) travels to Waco, Texas, this week to face Baylor (3-1 overall; 1-0 Big 12) in the Cowboys' first road game and first Big 12 game of the 2022 season. The matchup is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 1, at McLane Stadium.

On the Air
The game will be televised by FOX with Jason Benetti 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. The game will also be carried live to a national radio audience via Westwood One Sports, with Mike Watts and Ryan Harris on the call.

In the Rankings
The Oklahoma State football team was voted No. 9 in the AP Top 25 and No. 7 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. It marks the 16th consecutive AP poll that the Cowboys have been ranked in the top 15, which is just one short of matching 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. Baylor is ranked No. 16 in the AP poll and is No. 14 in the coaches poll.

16 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 total of 16 consecutive sets of rankings. That streak is the third-longest in school history and just one short of matching the school record. Here are longest streaks in school history:

            Consecutive Polls in the AP Top 15 – OSU's Longest Streaks
            1.         17         (2016-17)
                        17         (2010-11)
            3.         16         (2021-22)
            4.         14         (1984)
            5.         12         (1988)
            6.         11          (1985)
            7.         9          (2008)
            8.         8          (2015)

The Series
Saturday's game marks the 42nd overall meeting between Oklahoma State and Baylor in a series that dates to 1914. Including 2022, the two teams have faced off for 27 consecutive years, beginning with the first season of Big 12 Conference play in 1996. OSU holds a 22-19 all-time advantage in the series, with Baylor holding a 9-7 edge in Waco. OSU has won 19 of the past 27 over Baylor, including a 42-3 win in the last game played in Waco in 2020 and seven of the 12 games played in Waco since the formation of the Big 12. The teams split a two-game series last season with Cowboys winning in the first matchup and the Bears winning the second. Coach Mike Gundy is 10-8 in his career against Baylor, while Baylor coach Dave Aranda is 1-2 against Oklahoma State.

Oklahoma State from a Distance
The Oklahoma State football team is 3-0 following a 63-7 win over the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in its latest game. The Cowboys, who have the No. 1 scoring offense in the FBS at 51.7 points per game and lead the Big 12 in fewest penalties with just 4.67 per game, had last week off and are now set to open conference play. OSU has relied on four-year starting quarterback Spencer Sanders in the early part of the season, as the senior now ranks No. 1 in the FBS with 26.0 points responsible for per game and No. 5 in the FBS with 342.0 yards of total offense per game. The three players on offense putting up the most all-purpose yards are running back Dominic Richardson (102.0), wide receiver Braydon Johnson (100.0) and wide receiver Brennan Presley (94.3). They have all been effective weapons and should continue to help carry the load. The defensive side has continued previous years' success in several areas by ranking No. 2 in the FBS in tackles for loss per game (10.0), No. 5 in third down defense (23.4%) and No. 11 in sacks per game (3.33). The defensive line, which is one of the oldest and most experienced in college football, is the anchor of the defense and double-digit players contribute on the unit every week. Linebacker Mason Cobb has been OSU's leading tackler (8.0 per game), and he now ranks No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 6 in the FBS with 2.0 tackles for loss per game.

An Oklahoma State Win Would ...
• Make it 4-0 for the third straight season and for the seventh time in the Mike Gundy era.
• Make it 6-1 in its past seven road games, including wins in each of the past three.
• Improve its regular season conference winning streak to six games, marking the sixth-longest streak in school history and the longest since the seven-game streak from Oct. 1 - Nov. 19, 2016.
• Improve its record against Baylor to 23-19 and its record against BU in Waco to 8-9.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record against Baylor to 11-8.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 92-56.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in road games to 53-35.
• Make it 18-2 in its past 20 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season.
• Make it 152-68 in its history when playing as an AP-ranked team.
• Make it 139-39 in its history when playing as a higher AP-ranked team than its opponent.
• Make it 7-1 in its past eight and 16-6 in its past 22 games vs. AP Top 25 teams.
• Mark Mike Gundy's 37th 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 9-3 in its past 12 games when both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25.
• Improve it to 31-23 vs. AP ranked teams since the beginning of the 2011 season.

Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• OSU has won a school-record 11 consecutive home games.
• OSU has won two consecutive road games.
• OSU has held nine of its past 15 opponents under 100 yards rushing.
• OSU has held 19 consecutive opponents under 200 yards rushing.
• OSU has held 22 of its past 24 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 26 of its past 34 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 27 of its past 28 games.
• OSU is 32-12 in its past 44 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 42-6 in its past 48 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• Dating back to 2005, OSU is 44-4 when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to 2008, OSU is 70-8 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won three of its past four overtime games.
• OSU has forced 31 turnovers in its past 21 games.
• Over the past 28 games, OSU has held opponents to 115-for-421 (27.3%) on third down.