Cowboys Visit Kansas State for Another Top 25 Matchup

Complete notes available here

The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (3-1 overall; 0-1 Big 12) travels to Manhattan, Kansas, this week to face Kansas State (3-1 overall; 0-1 Big 12) in the Cowboys' first conference road game of 2024. Kickoff at Bill Snyder Family Stadium is set for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.

On the Air
The game will be televised on ESPN with Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick and Kris Budden 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 national radio via Westwood One, with Nate Gatter and Derek Rackley on the call.

In the Rankings
The Oklahoma State football team is ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press poll and No. 20 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. Kansas State is ranked No. 23 in the AP poll and No. 25 in the coaches poll.

The Series
Saturday's game marks the 71st overall meeting between Oklahoma State and Kansas State in a series that dates to 1908. The 2024 season also marks the 15th consecutive year the teams have played. OSU holds a 43-27 all-time advantage in the series, including a 19-18 edge in games played in Manhattan. The Cowboys have won 10 of the past 15 meetings in the series, as well as four of the past five. OSU has also won two of the past four games played in Manhattan. Coach Mike Gundy is 10-6 in his career against K-State, while KSU coach Chris Klieman is 1-4 against the Cowboys.

OSU's 10-5 Run Against AP Top 25 Teams
Oklahoma State has won 10 of its past 15 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
9/21/2024	UTAH	L	19-22	H	14/12

Oklahoma State from a Distance
Oklahoma State is 3-1 after its first setback of the 2024 season, falling by three points in a top 15 matchup against Utah last week. Now the Cowboys look to bounce back while facing another AP Top 25 team in their first Big 12 road game of the 2024 season. It marks the first team OSU has faced back-to-back ranked teams since the midway point of the 2022 season. The biggest standout of the season so far has been safety Trey Rucker, who leads all Power Conference players in both total tackles (53) and solo tackles (29) and is sixth in that group with two total interceptions. Preseason All-America linebacker Nick Martin ranks sixth among Power Conference players with 6.5 tackles for loss this season and his 39 total tackles are also sixth in that group. They lead an OSU defense that leads the Big 12 in red zone defense, tackles for loss, turnovers gained and interceptions. Nationally, the Cowboys rank 13th, 14th, 15th and 18th in those statistics, respectively. Oklahoma State is led offensively by wide receiver Brennan Presley, who has a receiving touchdown in every game this season; quarterback Alan Bowman, who ranks among the FBS top 15 in passing yards, passing touchdowns and points responsible for; and running back Ollie Gordon II, who won the 2023 Doak Walker Award and received more votes for the Heisman Trophy than any other back last season. As a team, OSU is No. 15 in the FBS in passing offense and No. 6 in sacks allowed with just one. On special teams, kicker Logan Ward is 8-for-10 on field goal attempts this season with a long of 52 yards and his 2.0 made field goals per game rank No. 9 in the nation. Punter Wes Pahl would also rank second in the nation in yards per punt if he had enough punts to qualify for the NCAA rankings.

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 ...
• Give it wins in 13 of its past 17 and in 26 of its past 33 games following a loss.
• Mark Mike Gundy's 41st career win vs. an AP Top 25 opponent. No other active coach has more.
• Make it 3-2 in its past five road games against AP-ranked teams.
• Make it 11-7 in its past 18 road games.
• Make it 4-1 or better for the seventh time in the past eight years and for the 14th time in the Mike Gundy era.
• Give it wins in 12 of its past 15 games.
• Make it 11-5 in its past 16 and 20-10 in its past 30 games vs. AP-ranked teams.
• Make it 11-7 in its past 18 games when both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25.
• Make it 161-75 in its history when playing as an AP-ranked team.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in September games to 59-15.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 103-64 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 vs. Kansas State to 44-27 and its record vs. KSU in Manhattan to 20-18.
• Give it wins five of the past six and 11 of its past 16 games against K-State.
• Give it wins in three of its past five trips to Manhattan.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record against Kansas State to 11-6.
• Make it 35-13 in its past 48 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season.

Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• Brennan Presley has one receiving touchdown in every game this season.
• Brennan Presley has multiple catches in 34 straight games, the second longest active streak in the FBS.
• Trey Rucker has recorded at least 14 tackles in three of four games this season.
• Oklahoma State is 4-for-4 on two-point conversion attempts this season and the four successful two-point conversions are more than any other team in the FBS.
• Ollie Gordon II has rushed for more than 100 yards in 10 of the past 15 games.
• OSU and Georgia Tech are the only Power Conference teams who have allowed fewer than two sacks in 2024.
• OSU's offensive line has not allowed a sack in nine of its past 14 games.
• OSU is 13-1 in the past 14 games when winning or tying the turnover battle.
• OSU has held 35 of its past 44 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, the longest since at least 1980 and likely the longest in college football history. 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 44 of its past 62 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 50 of its past 56 games.
• OSU is 40-17 in its past 57 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 82-9 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won five of its past seven overtime games.
• Over the past 53 games, OSU has held opponents to 264-for-835 (31.6%) on third down.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Alan Bowman

Ollie Gordon II

Nick Martin

Wes Pahl

Brennan Presley

Trey Rucker

Logan Ward

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