Cowboys Host Top 15 Matchup with Utah

Complete notes available here

The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (3-0 overall; 0-0 Big 12) opens Big 12 play against Utah (3-0 overall; 0-0 Big 12) on Saturday, September 21, in the first meeting of the programs since 1945. It also marks the first Big 12 Conference game for Utah, with kickoff at Boone Pickens Stadium set for 3 p.m. CT on FOX.

Every Home Game Sold Out in 2024
For the first time in program history, Oklahoma State sold every ticket for every home football game prior to the start of the season. It also marks the second consecutive season sellout for Cowboy football, though last year's sellouts were not completed prior to the season opener. It continues a trend of Oklahoma State producing one of the best home-field advantages in college football. The Cowboys are 25-3 at home since the beginning of the 2020 season, matching the second-highest home win total in the FBS, behind only Alabama. OSU is among the top 10 teams in the FBS in wins since 2010 with 133 and has eight 10-win seasons during that time frame, good for eighth-most in the FBS. The Cowboys have several other accolades in the past 14 years, including an outright Big 12 title, a share of the Big 12 South title and appearances in the Big 12 Championship game in 2021 and 2023. Oklahoma State is also one of only three teams in the FBS to post a winning season every year from 2006-23, and the Cowboys have been ranked in the top 15 of the Associated Press poll in 15 of the past 17 seasons, including 2024. Fans still looking to be part of the action can visit SeatGeek - the official partner of OSU Athletics - to purchase for verified resell tickets. Fans can also visit www.okstate.com/tickets to join the wait list for football season tickets.

On the Air
The game will be televised on 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. The game will also be broadcast live on ESPN Radio, with Marc Kestecher, Kelly Stouffer and Ian Fitzsimmons on the call.

In the Rankings
The Oklahoma State football team is ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press poll and No. 15 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. It continues a run of OSU being ranked in every season since 2008. Including the 2024 season, Oklahoma State has been ranked in the top 15 of the Associated Press poll in 15 of the past 17 seasons and has reached the top 10 in 11 of those 17 years. Although the first College Football Playoff rankings won't be released until November 5, it's worth noting that OSU has been part of the CFP rankings in eight of the past nine seasons entering 2024. The Cowboys have also been included in 43 of the 60 all-time CFP Rankings, which is tied for the eighth-most appearances in the country. Utah is ranked No. 12 in the AP poll and No. 10 in the coaches poll.

The Series
Oklahoma State and Utah have only played one time prior to this year's matchup, with the then-named Oklahoma A&M Aggies defeating Utah, 46-6, in Salt Lake City on October 20, 1945. Oklahoma A&M went on to finish that season 9-0, winning the Sugar Bowl and later an AFCA National Championship. Aggie All-America running back Bob Fenimore accounted for four touchdowns in the game, going on to finish third in the voting for the Heisman Trophy before becoming a No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick. The 2024 matchup will mark the first game between the programs as members of the same conference and the first Big 12 Conference game for Utah. OSU coach Mike Gundy and Utah coach Kyle Whittingham have not faced the other program during their career as head coaches. They are both in their 20th season as head coach for their respective team and both rank among the top four active head coaches in total wins at their program.

Big Game in Boone Pickens Stadium
Saturday's game will mark just the 15th time that a matchup between teams ranked in the top 15 of the AP poll has been played in Stillwater, with the previous 14 coming against Baylor (2013 and 2015), Georgia (2009), Nebraska (1985 and 1987), Oklahoma (1988, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2021), TCU (2015) and Texas (2009). The most recent was a 37-33 win over Oklahoma to close the 2021 regular season. Saturday's matchup also marks the 36th time in OSU history that the Cowboys have played in a game with both teams ranked in the AP top 15, regardless of location. Here's a list of OSU's wins in home games between AP top 15 teams:

9/5/2009	No. 9 OSU vs. No. 13 Georgia	W, 24-10
12/3/2011	No. 3 OSU vs. No. 13 Oklahoma	W, 44-10
11/23/2013	No. 11 OSU vs. No. 3 Baylor	W, 49-17
11/7/2015	No. 12 OSU vs. No. 5 TCU	W, 49-29
11/27/2021	No. 7 OSU vs. No. 10 Oklahoma	W, 37-33

OSU's 10-4 Run Against AP Top 25 Teams
Oklahoma State has won 10 of its past 14 games against AP-ranked teams. Here's a look at the run:

Date	Opponent	Result	Score	Location	AP Rk (OSU/Opp)
12/29/2020	vs. Miami (Fla.)	W	37-34	N	RV/18
9/25/2021	KANSAS STATE	W	31-20	H	RV/25
10/2/2021	BAYLOR	W	24-14	H	19/21
10/16/2021	at Texas	W	32-24	A	12/25
11/27/2021	OKLAHOMA	W	37-33	H	7/10
12/4/2021	vs. Baylor	L	16-21	N	5/9
1/1/2022	vs. Notre Dame	W	37-35	N	9/5
10/1/2022	at Baylor	W	36-25	A	9/16
10/15/2022	at TCU	L	40-43(2OT)	A	8/13
10/22/2022	TEXAS	W	41-34	H	11/20
10/29/2022	at Kansas State	L	0-48	A	9/22
10/14/2023	KANSAS	W	39-32	H	NR/23
11/4/2023	OKLAHOMA	W	27-24	H	RV/10
12/2/2023	vs. Texas	L	21-49	N	19/7

Oklahoma State from a Distance
Oklahoma State is 3-0 after defeating back-to-back defending FCS national champions South Dakota State in the season opener, following that with a comeback win over Arkansas and then cruising past Tulsa in OSU's first road game of the season last week. Heisman Trophy candidate Ollie Gordon II ranks No. 11 in the FBS with four rushing touchdowns so far, and has totaled 260 yards from scrimmage through three games. Quarterback Alan Bowman may be OSU's brightest star of the young season so farm ranking No. 6 in the FBS with 967 passing yards, No. 8 with 75 completions and No. 11 with both eight passing touchdowns and 327.3 yards of total offense per game. The wide receiver has also proved to be deep and talented, as Brennan Presley, Rashod Owens, De'Zhaun Stribling and Talyn Shettron have all made big plays already. On the defensive side, safety Trey Rucker leads all FBS players with 24 solo tackles and is third with 39 total tackles. Preseason All-America linebacker Nick Martin also ranks in the FBS top 10 in total tackles, tackles for loss and solo tackles. On special teams, kicker Logan Ward is 7-for-8 on field goal attempts this season with a long of 52 yards, and his 2.33 made field goals per game rank No. 6 in the nation. Punter Wes Pahl would also lead the nation in yards per punt if he had punted enough times to qualify for the NCAA statistical rankings.

Success at Home
Oklahoma State has put together an impressive 25-3 record at Boone Pickens Stadium since the beginning of the 2020 season to rank among the best home performers in all of college football. Here's a look at how it compares to the rest of the country:

Most Home Wins Since 2020

Rank	Team	Wins
1.	Alabama	27
2.	Oklahoma State	25
	North Carolina State	25
	Clemson	25
5.	Liberty	24
	Michigan	24
	Oklahoma	24
	Ohio State	24
	UTSA	24

Continued Success
• Entering 2024, Oklahoma State has made 18th consecutive bowl appearances and secured 18 consecutive winning seasons, both school-record streaks. OSU's bowl streak is the sixth-longest active streak in the FBS, and the is longest active streak for any school with the same head coach.
• Mike Gundy has coached the Cowboys to five New Year's Six bowl games since the 2009 season. The Pokes appeared in the 2010 Cotton Bowl, the 2012 Fiesta Bowl, the 2014 Cotton Bowl, the 2016 Sugar Bowl and the 2022 Fiesta Bowl.
• Since 2010, Oklahoma State has eight seasons with at least 10 wins, an outright Big 12 title (2011), a share of the Big 12 South title (2010) and two more appearances in the conference championship game. OSU reached the top 10 of the Associated Press poll in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
• Oklahoma State is one of only four teams to post a winning season every year since 2010, joining Alabama, Boise State and Wisconsin. It is one of only two Power Five teams with winning seasons each of the past 18 years, joined by Wisconsin.
• Including 2024, Oklahoma State has been ranked in the top 15 of the Associated Press poll in 15 of the past 17 seasons and reached the top 10 in 11 of those 17 years.
• Entering 2024, OSU has finished in the top three of the Big 12 in four of the past five seasons and has finished in the top three 10 times in the 13 seasons since the conference moved away from divisions.

An Oklahoma State Win Would ...
• Make it 4-0 for the fourth time in the past five years and for the eighth time in the Mike Gundy era.
• Give it wins in 12 of its past 14 games.
• Mark the Cowboys' 17th win over an AP Top 15 team during Mike Gundy's tenure as head coach.
• Make it 11-4 in its past 15 and 20-9 in its past 29 games vs. AP-ranked teams.
• Make it 26-3 at Boone Pickens Stadium since 2020, marking the second-most home wins in the FBS during that time.
• Make it 11-6 in its past 17 games when both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25.
• Mark Mike Gundy's 41st career win vs. an AP Top 25 opponent. Dabo Swinney is the only other active coach with more wins over AP Top 25 teams at his current school.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in September games to 59-14.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 103-63 and move him to one game away from tying Bill Snyder for the second-most Big 12 wins in conference history.
• Improve its all-time record against Utah to 2-0 and its record vs. Utah in Stillwater to 1-0.
• Make it 35-12 in its past 47 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season.
• Make it 161-74 in its history when playing as an AP-ranked team.

Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• Ollie Gordon II has rushed for more than 100 yards in 10 of the past 14 games.
• OSU is one of three power conference teams that has not allowed a sack in 2024.
• OSU's offensive line has not allowed a sack in nine of its past 13 games.
• OSU is 13-0 in the past 13 games when winning or tying the turnover battle.
• OSU has held 34 of its past 43 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average entering the game.
• OSU has won 86 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. Including games when opponents have scored 20 points or fewer, the streak begins at the same date and includes 94 games.
• OSU has held its opponent scoreless on its game-opening drive in 43 of its past 61 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 49 of its past 55 games.
• OSU is 40-16 in its past 56 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 51-8 in its past 59 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• Dating back to 2005, OSU is 49-4 when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to 2008, OSU is 82-8 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won five of its past seven overtime games.
• Over the past 52 games, OSU has held opponents to 259-for-817 (31.7%) on third down.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Alan Bowman

Ollie Gordon II

Nick Martin

Rashod Owens

Wes Pahl

Brennan Presley

Trey Rucker

Talyn Shettron

De’Zhaun Stribling

Logan Ward

Oklahoma State University Athletics