When: Saturday, November 19th, 11:00am CST.

Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium (Ft. Worth, TX)

Watch: Fox Sports 1

Listen: Cowboy Radio Network

#11 Oklahoma State University vs. Texas Christian University

A bizzare win in the Cowboy’s final home game against Texas Tech brought Mike Gundy and crew to 8-2. Their next test; the 5-4 TCU Horned Frogs in Fort Worth, Texas.

It’s simple. If the Cowboys win out, they are Big 12 Champions, and likely headed for the Sugar Bowl. The Horned Frogs have had a down season, but everything’s coming up (Milhouse!), as TCU did America a favor, and whooped up on the Baylor Bears, 62-22, two weeks ago. We’ll see if last week’s bye hasn’t taken away from TCU’s momentum.

What to know about our opponent

Despite TCU’s record, they are actually doing well on both sides of the ball this season. TCU scores 37.4 PPG (24th in FBS) and only allows 27.8 PPG (55th in FBS).

Even with the importance of TCU’s running game, Kenny Hill and the TCU passing attack has been vital in keeping up with teams in the Big 12. TCU is the 16th ranked team in terms of passing yards per game, with 314 yards. However, the rushing attack is really what makes the TCU offense tick, and I believe TCU is going to want to lean on the ground game against a Cowboys defense who have been susceptible to the run. TCU gains an average of 196 yards per game on the ground, which should keep Glenn Spencer and his defense on their toes.

The TCU defense has been puzzling, to say the least. They’ve given up 41 points to South Dakota State, 52 points to Oklahoma, and also held Texas Tech to 27 points. TCU’s defensive strategy has heavily relied on pressuring the opposing quarterback, and they’ve done a good job at it. In terms of sacking the QB, TCU has 3 of the top 6 guys in the Big 12. Brad Lundblade and crew should have their work cut out for them tomorrow.

Things to watch for - OSU

Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images

• Oklahoma State will look to get Justice Hill and Chris Carson going.

Big games in TCU losses:

- Rawleigh Williams III (Ark RB) - 137 yards on 4.9 yards per carry.

- Joe Mixon (OU RB) - 105 yards, 1 TD

- Samaje Perine (OU RB) - 98 yards, 2 TDs

- Rushel Shell (WVU RB) - 117 yards on 4.9 yards per carry

Get the picture?

• Stop Kyle Hicks. After Hicks ran for 192 yards and FIVE touchdowns against Baylor, TCU is going to want to establish their running game. Oklahoma State has struggled against teams who are commited to the run (Texas, K-State.) The Cowboys are 85th in the FBS in defending the run, allowing 196.7 rushing yards per game. Glenn Spencer will need to commit more men to the box if he wants to slow down Hicks and the TCU rushing attack.

Things to watch for - TCU

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

• TCU will look to get the ball in Kyle Hicks’ hands. I’m kind of starting to repeat myself here, but it’s that important. When Hicks gets the ball, good things happen for the Frogs.

Hicks carries in losses: 11.25 carries

Hicks carries in wins: 17 carries

After his big week at Baylor, look for Hicks to be well over the 17 carry mark.

• TCU will look to get KaVontae Turpin back in the swing of things. If you are unfamiliar with KaVontae Turpin, he’s an explosive wideout who is capable of making these kinds of plays on special teams:

Turpin has missed four games this season with a knee injury, but has slowly been reinserted into the offense in their past two games. After a bye week, it may be safe to say that Turpin is close to 100% healthy, and ready to restake his claim as one of the most explosive athletes in the conference. Look for TCU to get the ball in his hands in some creative ways tomorrow.

• Which TCU team will OSU see tomorrow? Are we going to see a TCU team that beat Baylor 62-22, or the TCU team that lost to West Virginia 34-10?

Oklahoma State will win if...

Glenn Spencer forces Kenny Hill to try to beat the Cowboy defense by himself. Hill is a very aggressive quarterback, and will often force a throw in order to try and make a big play. He is #1 in the Big 12 in interceptions thrown, with ten picks. We all know that the OSU defense has a knack of taking the ball away from opposing offenses, and this could be a big week for them.

TCU will win if...

they can control the game on the ground, win the field position battle, and bust a few big plays.

Stats

Mason Rudolph - 3,384 yards / 24 TDs / 4 INTs

Justice Hill - 789 yards / 5 TDs

James Washington - 1,132 yards / 9 TDs

Kenny Hill - 2,694 yards / 14 TDs / 10 INTs

Kyle Hicks - 789 yards / 12 TDs

Taj Williams - 643 yards / 5 TDs

Total offense ranks (yards) - OSU 20th / TCU 12th

Total passing ranks (yards) - OSU 6th / TCU 16th

Total rushing ranks (yards) - OSU 101st / TCU 43rd

Prediction:

OSU - 38 TCU - 33