PICKS FROM JOE’S: Oklahoma State’s series with Texas

This has been a season of streaks coming to an end, and this game presents another opportunity.

Texas owns this series…not as bad as OU owns Bedlam, but bad enough. Prior to Gundy taking over in 2005, the Longhorns lead 17-2 with the only OSU wins coming in 1944 and 1997.

Gundy/OSU’s ascension, however, has coincided with UT’s meltdown, which has opened the door for a series that hovers around .500 during the Mullet’s tenure with Texas holding a 7-6 advantage. The Cowboys have won the last three (THERE’S THE STREAK) and four of the last 5, but only two of those were “easy.” Oklahoma State probably should have lost last season save one of the worst decisions ever by a QB in Austin in overtime...

The truly bizarre stats, which are also the ones that aren’t going to give OSU faithful much hope, are the home and away records in this series during the Gundy era.

There is absolutely NO home field advantage. In fact, you quite clearly want to be the road team.

Since 2005, OSU is 1-5 against Texas in Stillwater (first Gundy home win was 2016) and 5-2 in Austin. In fact, prior to 2010, the last time the Cowboys won in Austin was 1944 (to be clear, the teams only played 10 times prior to 1996 and only four times from 1945-1995.) The programs have not missed a season since the formation of the Big 12.

As for scoring, way more points happen in Stillwater under Gundy. The teams combine for an average of 66 points on the Boone Pickens turf, while Austin yields just 49 points combined. Average scores:

· Stillwater…Texas 38, OSU 28

· Austin…OSU 27, Texas 22

In six trips to the land of orange, Gundy’s teams have held Texas under 31 points just ONCE (and that was in a 28-7 loss in 2014), and the Longhorns have recorded 41+ three times. Texas has not faired that much better defensively, holding the Cowboys under 28 only twice and allowing 35+ three times in Stillwater.

At the end of the day, these numbers bode well for the road team, and OSU is rolling into this game without ANY momentum. It will be interesting to see how both teams respond after the bye week.