OKLAHOMA STATE PASS OFFENSE vs TEXAS PASS DEFENSE
The names to know here are obviously quarterback Spencer Sanders and receiver Tylan Wallace. You can throw Dylan Stoner in there too … feels like he’s been around forever. Sanders was back last week for his first action after playing only a few series in the opener. He was a little rusty but Texas will have to prepare for the best version of Sanders on Saturday. Wallace is the go-to guy, one of the best receivers in the country. He’s back to 100 percent from the ACL injury that took him out last year and looks every bit as explosive as he was before the injury. Jelani Woods, a former quarterback, made some plays out of their Cowboy back position (think H-back) and had a touchdown last week.
Edge – Oklahoma State **
OKLAHOMA STATE RUN OFFENSE vs TEXAS RUN DEFENSE
Every college football fan is familiar with the name Chuba Hubbard, who is one of the best backs in the country. Hubbard started off the season slowly and wasn’t running tough early on but has bounced back. He’s averaged over 140 yards per game the last two contests and has found the end zone three times. The first three games of the season, it was actually back-up LD Brown that was running more effectively. Brown may actually be faster than Chuba, and both are a threat to score from anywhere on the field. OSU has a nice one-two punch with both guys and the Cowboys lead the Big 12 in rushing by a sizeable margin, churning out more than 216 yards per game on the ground.
Edge – Oklahoma State **
OKLAHOMA STATE OFFENSIVE LINE vs TEXAS DEFENSIVE LINE
Interestingly, 40 percent of OSU’s current starters came into the season with zero experience and were second or third on the depth chart. Redshirt freshman left tackle Jake Springfield had one offer coming out of high school and was a former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship in August. He started the season buried on the depth chart before moving up due to some injuries to other players. Sophomore right guard Hunter Woodard was another guy OSU had to insert at the last minute, but both have held their own and they’ve gotten better as the season has gone on. Left guard Josh Sills is a grad transfer from WVU. Right tackle Teven Jenkins is the standout of this group. He’s as good as any lineman in the conference.
Edge – Texas *
TEXAS PASS OFFENSE vs OKLAHOMA STATE PASS DEFENSE
Oklahoma State ranks second in the league in passing yards allowed per game, and first in pass defense efficiency, so this is a pretty good group statistically. Corner Rodarius Williams didn’t give up a single completion through first three games and he has 5 PBUs on the season. Iowa State was able to hit him but he’s been really good this year. OSU runs a base set with three safeties and all three of the primary guys have been good. Tre Sterling and Kolby Harvell-Peele had breakout seasons last year and are playing well again. Sterling leads the team in tackles. Tanner McCalister is a first-year starter at the third safety spot. Jarrick Bernard-Converse and Christian Holmes both get some run at the other corner spot.
Edge – Texas **
TEXAS RUN OFFENSE vs OKLAHOMA STATE RUN DEFENSE
OSU has held up pretty well against the run through four games, giving up 127 yards per game and 3.5 yards per carry (pretty similar to Texas’ averages, although the Longhorns have given up three times as many rushing TDs). Linebackers Malcolm Rodriguez and Amen Ogbongbemiga (another Canadian, like Chuba Hubbard) are both really solid in run defense and open field tackling in general. Through four games, those two have combined for 51 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 6.5 TFLs. Rodrigues is a former safety and former wrestler, and both of those elements come out on tape. Oklahoma State spun him down to linebacker and it’s worked out really well all around.
Edge – OKLAHOMA STATE **
TEXAS OFFENSIVE LINE vs OKLAHOMA STATE DEFENSIVE LINE
Oklahoma State’s ends are definitely a strength. Calvin Bundage missed all of last year with a back injury but has come back this year and shown no ill effects. He’s a disrupter, will blow up a play (3.5 sacks, 5 TFLs through four games) but also can be prone to mistakes. Trace Ford at the other end is good too (3 sacks). Both are kind of hybrid ends who can stand up and rush, or back off the line on occasion. Interestingly, both are out of the same high school … nice finds by the OSU staff.
Edge – OKLAHOMA STATE **
SPECIAL TEAMS
So far this year, OSU’s special teams have been solid. Kicker Alex Hale is brand new and had been perfect before missing one against Iowa State last week. Punter Tom Hutton had a pretty bad freshman year but has been a lot better this year. He doesn’t have a huge leg, but is good with placement kicks. The coverage has been solid. They haven’t shown much in the return games, mostly fair catches on punt returns.
Edge – OKLAHOMA STATE **
