Oklahoma State vs. West Virginia: Three Players to Watch
After a solid victory against the Kansas Jayhawks last Saturday, the Oklahoma State Cowboys will hit the road this week to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers.
This game was a close one last year with the Mountaineers coming out of Stillwater with a 24-19 victory.
OSU will need all three phases of the game to be successful on Saturday in Morgantown. Here are three Cowboys for you to keep a close eye on.
Ollie Gordon
The sophomore running back has been electric the last three games. Gordon has recorded three straight 100-yard games on the ground, including 168 yards and one touchdown against the Jayhawks.
Gordon’s carries have gone up quite a bit since the South Alabama game, including a season-high 29 carries last week. Mike Gundy has said that the offensive line has improved since that South Alabama game as well. If the offensive line continues to play like it has been, Gordon will be looking for another huge day.
Collin Oliver
Collin Oliver came alive last week against Kansas. Oliver had 2.5 sacks in the fourth quarter against the Jayhawks, which brought his total to 20 sacks for his career at Oklahoma State.
Oliver’s performance last Saturday was the first time we have really seen him get after the quarterback. West Virginia comes in giving up only seven sacks on the season. If Oklahoma State wants to win this game, Oliver will have to be a force in the backfield.
Xavier Benson
Xavier Benson is crucial in the run defense against West Virginia. The Mountaineers come in ranked 34th in the country in rushing offense, averaging about 185 yards per game.
This is another contest where if OSU stops the run game of West Virginia, the Cowboys will be successful. The Mountaineers are one-dimensional and like to stick to the ground game. Benson will have to step up and make some critical plays for the Cowboy defense.
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