Oklahoma State’s Five Biggest Questions Entering Week 4 Game Against West Virginia
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The Oklahoma State Cowboys have a golden opportunity to end a streak that hangs around them like an albatross.
The Cowboys (2-1) haven’t won a Big 12 conference game since the end of the 2023 season. Cowboys fans remember that team was BYU. Since then, the Cowboys have been unable to end a Big 12 game with a win. They enter this game on a two-game winning streak, their longest in two seasons. They enter this game with a chance to get out of Morgantown with a victory and end that nasty losing streak.
Here are the five biggest questions the Cowboys have — and have to answer — going into Saturday’s game.
Is OSU’s Defense Up to Stopping the Run?
West Virginia enters this game with the No. 6 rushing offense in the country, as the Mountaineers average 281.3 yards per game. If it were just running back Cam Cook, who's been excellent, that would be one thing. But it's also quarterback Michael Hawkins, who is the perfect fit for head coach Rich Rodriguez’s offense.
Against Virginia, Hawkins and Cook each rushed for 123 yards. Hawkins had three scores. That two-headed monster is a potential problem.
The Cowboys are tied for 35th in the country in rushing defense, giving up 100 yards per game. They've done a solid job. This could be their biggest test yet. Hawkins and Cook are clear rushing threats and perhaps the best OSU has faced to date. be the best running back the Cowboys have faced to date.
Oklahoma State has tackled well this season, especially on the edge. That must continue on Saturday for the Cowboys to have a chance to win.
How Good Is OSU’s Pass Protection?
The Cowboys have done a great job protecting quarterback Drew Mestemaker this season. But West Virginia has figured out how to put pressure on the quarterback.
Entering the contest West Virginia is tied for 10th in the country with 10 sacks. The trick is the Mountaineers aren't just getting it from one or two pass rushers. Those sacks are spread out among nine players, meaning the Mountaineers rotate players effectively and have several players ready to get to the passer.
For an offensive line that has done a good job protecting Mestemaker most of the season, West Virginia provides an interesting test. It's a pass rush built around the sum of its parts and not just one superstar. If the Cowboys block and protect the way they did against both Oregon and Murray State, this should be a good day for the Cowboys.
Can Drew Mestemaker Avoid Mistakes?
On paper, West Virginia's defense is ripe for the taking when it comes to the passing game. The Mountaineers enter the game tied for 114th in the country allowing 246.7 yards per game. That leaves the door open for Mestemaker to take over this game.
But one area that has been problematic is turnovers. He's committed six and while he limited himself to one against Murray State, it came under pressure while not protecting the football.
On the road, avoiding turnovers is huge. Mestemaker isn't the only one that must do it. But he's the quarterback and he'll handle the football every play. With six turnovers already, his ability to protect the football bears watching. The Mountaineers will be gearing its scheme to try and get him to make a game-changing mistake. This is a good game for Mestemaker to avoid one altogether.
Can the Cowboys Fix Their Red Zone Offense?
No one's going to argue with putting points on the board, but the Cowboys seem to have issues getting in the red zone.
Oklahoma State enters this game ranked No. 106 in the country in red zone offense at 78.9%. That breaks down to 19 red zone trips, four rushing touchdowns, five passing touchdowns, six field goals and 15 red zone scores in 19 tries. The Cowboys are getting points, but they’re leaving meat on the bone.
That’s a problem when you look at West Virginia's red zone defense. That unit is tied for fourth in the country at 55.6%. WVU has allowed nine red zone trips and only four have ended up in touchdowns, along with one field goal.
The Cowboys’ offense has consistently sputtered inside the 20. That must come to an end Saturday. Can they do it?
Can Eric Morris Balance Risk and Reward?
Head coach Eric Morris took himself to task after the Tulsa loss saying that he was too aggressive especially on fourth down. He dialed that back somewhat against Oregon and Murray State and it paid off.
Now he goes up against a coach that coaches like him — aggressively. WVU boss Rich Rodriguez and Morris are cut from the same cloth and sometimes that leads to unnecessary risks. Morris and Rodriguez want to be aggressive on third down and go for it on fourth down. They would completely fine with not punting.
Morris said on Tuesday that he's never coached against Rodriguez. He said he hadn't met Rodriguez until they met at Big 12 meetings May. Neither knows the other’s tells aside from what they've seen on film. That should make the head coaching match up an intriguing one.
If Morris pulls the right strings and takes the right risks, the Cowboys have a good chance of getting out of Morgantown with a win.
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Matthew Postins is the publisher of Oklahoma State on SI. He is an award-winning sports journalist who was formerly the editor of the College Football America Yearbook and covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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