Oklahoma State at West Virginia: Three Key Matchups
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are set to face another test this next weekend, as they travel to Morgantown to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers, who are 3.5-point favorites over the Cowboys.
Both teams are eerily similar in the box score, but they come in with different circumstances. The Mountaineers are coming off a brutal loss to Houston and are looking to bounce back for their homecoming.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, have found a spark as of late. They took down two good teams in Kansas State and Kansas and are looking to build off that and continue pushing with momentum.
Here are three key matchups as Oklahoma State travels to take on West Virginia on Saturday.
Ollie Gordon vs. West Virginia run defense: As Gordon proved a week ago, he can impact the game beyond the ground game, as he was a threat in the passing game, but his ability to rush the ball is what opens everything up.
The Mountaineers hold the No. 35 rush defense in the country, allowing 119 rushing yards per game. Gordon has got to bruise them in that area of the game, allowing the passing game to open up for Alan Bowman and his weapons.
Oklahoma State vs. third downs: This one is going to be huge and could decide the game. The Mountaineers are tied for the eight-best third-down defensive percentage, allowing conversions just 28 percent of the time.
The Cowboys are tied for the No. 85 third-down defense nationally. They give up conversions 41 percent of the time. The Cowboys will have to prolong drives by converting themselves, and the defense has to find its way off the field to complete drives.
Oklahoma State run defense vs. West Virginia run game: While Oklahoma State and West Virginia put up very similar total offensive numbers, the Mountaineers struggle in the passing game, putting up just 194.8 passing yards per game, which is No. 104 nationally.
For the Cowboys, shutting down the one dimension of the game where the Mountaineers are due to succeed could control this game. They pick up 185.5 yards per game on the ground and will see help from multiple contributors including their quarterback.
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