Oklahoma State University Athletics
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Ollie Gordon II and Xavier Benson Named Big 12 Player of the Week
November 06, 2023 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – For the fourth consecutive week, Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II has been named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week. He is the second player in Big 12 history to get the honor in four straight weeks.
OSU linebacker Xavier Benson has also been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, earning the honor for the first time in his career.
Gordon had another impressive performance on Saturday, producing 156 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in the Cowboys' 27-24 Bedlam win over No. 9 Oklahoma. He logged 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground, along with an 18-yard reception.
His first touchdown came on a 20-yard run to cap OSU's game-opening drive, and his second came on a two-yard run with just under eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Cowboys the lead for good.
The sophomore has now rushed for 100+ yards in six straight games, which ties for the sixth-longest streak in program history. He has scored multiple touchdowns in four straight games with 10 total scores, including three consecutive games with two or more rushing touchdowns. Gordon's 138 rushing yards marked the most by any player against the Oklahoma defense this season, and his two rushing touchdowns matched the most against OU this year.
Benson was all over the field in Saturday's win over OU, recording seven tackles, a sack, a quarterback hurry, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and three tackles for loss, which is the most by a Cowboy this season and the most by any Big 12 player this week. The senior linebacker is the first Big 12 player since UT's Joseph Ossai in 2020 to record at least three tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and fumble recovery in one game.
Benson helped set the tone early. On Oklahoma's second drive of the game, he recorded a strip-sack and then recovered a fumble just two plays later. He entered Saturday with half a sack on the season and no fumbles forced or recovered in his career. In addition to his impact forcing turnovers, one of Benson's most impactful tackles included a six-yard tackle for loss against Drake Stoops on third down with about four minutes remaining in the first half. The play forced a 51-yard field goal attempt that sailed just wide. Another big tackle also came on third down, as he helped bring down Jalil Farooq five yards short of the marker before OU's final offensive play that was stopped to seal the three-point Cowboy win.
The Cowboys have now earned seven conference player of the week honors this season. They return to action Saturday, playing at UCF at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
2023 Oklahoma State Big 12 Players of the Week
Cameron Epps – Newcomer – vs. Kansas State
Ollie Gordon II – Offensive – vs. Kansas
Ollie Gordon II – Offensive – at West Virginia
Ollie Gordon II – Offensive vs. Cincinnati
Leon Johnson – Newcomer vs. Cincinnati
Ollie Gordon II – Offensive vs. Oklahoma
Xavier Benson – Defensive vs. Oklahoma
OSU linebacker Xavier Benson has also been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, earning the honor for the first time in his career.
Gordon had another impressive performance on Saturday, producing 156 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in the Cowboys' 27-24 Bedlam win over No. 9 Oklahoma. He logged 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground, along with an 18-yard reception.
His first touchdown came on a 20-yard run to cap OSU's game-opening drive, and his second came on a two-yard run with just under eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Cowboys the lead for good.
The sophomore has now rushed for 100+ yards in six straight games, which ties for the sixth-longest streak in program history. He has scored multiple touchdowns in four straight games with 10 total scores, including three consecutive games with two or more rushing touchdowns. Gordon's 138 rushing yards marked the most by any player against the Oklahoma defense this season, and his two rushing touchdowns matched the most against OU this year.
Benson was all over the field in Saturday's win over OU, recording seven tackles, a sack, a quarterback hurry, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and three tackles for loss, which is the most by a Cowboy this season and the most by any Big 12 player this week. The senior linebacker is the first Big 12 player since UT's Joseph Ossai in 2020 to record at least three tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and fumble recovery in one game.
Benson helped set the tone early. On Oklahoma's second drive of the game, he recorded a strip-sack and then recovered a fumble just two plays later. He entered Saturday with half a sack on the season and no fumbles forced or recovered in his career. In addition to his impact forcing turnovers, one of Benson's most impactful tackles included a six-yard tackle for loss against Drake Stoops on third down with about four minutes remaining in the first half. The play forced a 51-yard field goal attempt that sailed just wide. Another big tackle also came on third down, as he helped bring down Jalil Farooq five yards short of the marker before OU's final offensive play that was stopped to seal the three-point Cowboy win.
The Cowboys have now earned seven conference player of the week honors this season. They return to action Saturday, playing at UCF at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
2023 Oklahoma State Big 12 Players of the Week
Cameron Epps – Newcomer – vs. Kansas State
Ollie Gordon II – Offensive – vs. Kansas
Ollie Gordon II – Offensive – at West Virginia
Ollie Gordon II – Offensive vs. Cincinnati
Leon Johnson – Newcomer vs. Cincinnati
Ollie Gordon II – Offensive vs. Oklahoma
Xavier Benson – Defensive vs. Oklahoma
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