Bricktown-Main-102816.jpg
Football Friday: Oklahoma State
October 28, 2016 06:27 PM | Football
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Another Saturday of Big 12 football means another stern challenge for West Virginia University’s undefeated, 6-0 football team.
This time it’s 5-2 Oklahoma State at historic Boone Pickens Stadium where the Cowboys almost always win under veteran coach Mike Gundy, who is seeking his 100th win at his alma mater on Saturday.
Oklahoma State shows wins over Southeastern Louisiana, Pitt, Texas, Iowa State and Kansas and losses to Central Michigan and Baylor.
Of course, the loss to Central Michigan attracted national attention because the Chippewas were able to win on an untimed down on the final play of the game that shouldn’t have happened. Oklahoma State also had plenty of chances to knock off then-16th-ranked Baylor in Waco, but some untimely turnovers and some poor execution in the red zone led to a 35-24 defeat.
West Virginia and Oklahoma State have split their four prior meetings since the Mountaineers joined the Big 12 Conference in 2012, WVU losing the first time it traveled to Stillwater in 2012 and winning the last time it was there in 2014.
Last year, Oklahoma State jumped out to a 23-9 lead in Morgantown and held on to defeat the Mountaineers in overtime.
Another closely contested affair is expected for Saturday’s game that will kick off at 11 a.m. locally and noon on the East Coast.
Fox (Joe Davis, Brady Quinn and Jenny Taft) will televise the game nationally while the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG’s coverage begins at 8:30 a.m. with the Go-Mart Mountaineer Tailgate Show leading into regular game coverage at 11 a.m. with veteran play-by-play man Tony Caridi and long-time analyst Dwight Wallace on stations throughout West Virginia and online at leanStream and the mobile app TuneIn.
Here is Saturday’s Countdown to Kickoff:
10 - West Virginia’s offense has an impressive TEN scoring drives of at least 80 yards so far this season, including three of 90 yards or longer.
9 - Oklahoma State current ranks NINTH in the country in turnover margin at plus-seven through seven games.
8 - West Virginia has had EIGHT interception returns for touchdowns during Dana Holgorsen’s six-year coaching tenure at WVU, including Rasul Douglas’ 54-yard pick six against BYU earlier this season.
7 - Dating back to last January’s victory over Arizona State in the Cactus Bowl, West Virginia has won SEVEN in a row for the first time since beginning the 2006 season 7-0 under former coach Rich Rodriguez.
6 - Now in his SIXTH season at West Virginia University, coach Dana Holgorsen now shows a 42-28 overall record, including winning 11 of his last 12 games dating back to last season.
5 - Saturday’s game in Stillwater will be the FIFTH meeting between the two schools since West Virginia joined the Big 12 in 2012. The two teams have split the four games, each winning once on the road and once at home. Overall, West Virginia holds a slight 4-3 edge in all-time series play dating back to 1928 when Oklahoma State was known as the Oklahoma Aggies.
4 - West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard is coming off a season-high FOUR-touchdown passing performance against TCU last Saturday. The senior has now thrown 12 touchdown passes this season and 46 for his career.
3 - The Mountaineers’ THREE running backs Rushel Shell, Justin Crawford and Kennedy McKoy have combined to rush for 1,012 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging an outstanding 5.6 yards per carry.
2 - During the last TWO seasons the Mountaineer defense has held opponents to less than a 35-percent success rate on third down 22 times, and less than a 30-percent success rate 12 times.
1 - FIRST down has been West Virginia’s most productive down so far this season, the Mountaineers averaging 6.8 yards per play on this down. Next is second down at 6.5 yards per play, followed by a 6.4 yards-per-play average on third down and fourth-down average of 5.5 yards per play.
Enjoy Saturday’s game and be sure to stop back afterward for complete postgame coverage.
Gold-Blue Spring Festival Fan Recap
Sunday, April 19
John Neider | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Zac Alley | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Rich Rodriguez | April 18
Saturday, April 18
