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No. 6 Oklahoma State looks to keep rolling when they face Texas Saturday (3 p.m. FOX) at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater.
The Cowboys (4-0, 3-0 Big 12) are coming off a 24-21 win over Iowa State Cyclones last week in Spencer Sanders’ return from an ankle injury. The quarterback was 20 of 29 for 235 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, and rushed 15 times for 71 yards and one touchdown. Chuba Hubbard also had success on the ground with one touchdown and 139 yards on 25 carries.
With Sanders out since the season opener and injuries to the offensive line, the Cowboys’ offense has struggled. OSU has scored 28.5 points per game, which ranks the third lowest in coach Mike Gundy’s tenure behind 2014 (27.6) and 2005 (20.2).
Offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn’s unit hasn’t put the points OSU is use to, but they haven’t needed to thanks to Jim Knowles’ defense. The Cowboys are allowing only 12 points per game and 4.49 yards per play. OSU’s defense also thrives in third-down situations and in the red zone as it ranks among the best in the country in both.
Highest sack rate when not blitzing (min 3 games):
— ️♈️ (@ADavidHaleJoint) October 27, 2020
1.) Okla St, 11.8%
2.) Pitt, 11.5%
3.) Clemson, 10.8%
4.) UVA, 10.7%
5.) WVU, 9.8%
8.) Duke, 9.4%
11.) VT, 9%
15.) ND, 8.1%
16.) UNC, 8.1%
ACC O-lines pretty not good again.
About Texas
Texas is back... in Stillwater. The Longhorns (3-2, 2-2) were ranked as high as No. 8 after their first game, but have since gone 2-2 in Big 12 play and are on the outside of the top 25. Both losses were one within 10 points, a 33-31 loss against TCU on Oct. 3 and 53-45 quadruple overtime setback to Oklahoma on Oct. 10 in Dallas.
Texas avoided its third straight loss with a 27-16 win against Baylor last week. Sam Ehlinger was 15 of 23 for 270 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and the mobile quarterback had 51 rushing yards and two scores on 15 carries.
Ehlinger has 17 of Texas’ 19 passing touchdowns, which rank second in the nation. Backup Casey Thompson of Oklahoma City has the other two. Ehlinger’s favorite target is Joshua Moore, who leads the Longhorns in receptions (21), yards (328) and touchdowns (six). Moore had two catches for 45 yards and one score against Baylor to extend his consecutive game streak with at least one touchdown to four games.
Joseph Ossai leads the Longhorns defense with 33 tackles. Texas head coach Tom Herman said earlier this week he expects Ossai to play after suffering an anterior capsule shoulder strain last week. Ossai had a similar injury last season and played most of the season with one arm until the Alamo Bowl when he earned Defensive MVP honors after having nine tackles (six for loss) and three sacks against Utah. Jett Bush, a former walk-on, has seen more playing time behind Ossai but hasn’t made much of an impact with six tackles (one for loss).
Who to follow on Twitter
Oklahoma State: @CowboysRFF, @CowboyFB
Texas: @TexasFootball, @BON_SBNation
Recent series history
2019: Texas 36-30 in Austin
2018: OSU 38-35 in Stillwater
2017: OSU 13-10 in Austin
2016: OSU 49-31 in Stillwater
2015: OSU 30-27 in Austin
Odds
Favorites: OSU 3.5
Over/under: 58.5
How to watch
What: Texas at No. 6 Oklahoma State
When: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Boone Pickens Stadium; Stillwater, Oklahoma
TV: FOX
Live stream: fubo TV (try for free)