Burning Answers: Lessons Learned in Oklahoma State's Big Win Against Tulsa
Oklahoma State left no doubts in its final nonconference matchup.
On Saturday, OSU beat Tulsa 45-10 in a game it dominated from start to finish. OSU had its most complete effort against Tulsa, nearly shutting out the Golden Hurricane before a couple of late fourth-quarter scores.
While there are still some areas to clean up, it was a much-needed performance for Mike Gundy’s squad.
Answers to Burning Questions for OSU’s nonconference finale:
Can Obi Ezeigbo consistently take on a larger role?
It is too early to tell and too small of a sample size.
The Cowboys’ quest to make up for Collin Oliver’s absence will be a week-to-week issue. While Oliver might have had a big day against the Tulsa offensive line if he was good to go, OSU still shined without him.
Ezeigbo made a significant impact in OSU’s win against Arkansas but finished with only two tackles against Tulsa. Although Ezeigbo has been solid, as long as OSU can win the battle at the line of scrimmage by committee, Bryan Nardo’s unit will be able to survive.
Is OSU’s defense capable of preventing big plays?
With big plays considered to be passes of 15+ yards and rushes of 10+ yards, OSU allowed 13 big plays against Tulsa. However, OSU held Tulsa to only five plays of 20+ yards and only one play of 30+ yards.
Although the Cowboys would like to limit those plays a bit more, the defensive lapses in the first two games seemed to be less prevalent on Saturday. With Utah around the corner, another incremental improvement could be the difference between winning and losing.
Can the Cowboys take care of business against an inferior opponent?
Emphatically, yes.
After struggling in the first two games, OSU never had to worry against Tulsa. While the rushing attack is a bit concerning, Gundy and the Cowboys did not seem to have any other issues.
Not only did Alan Bowman look his best in an OSU uniform, but the Cowboys' defense looked impenetrable and nearly kept Tulsa off the scoreboard entirely. With a couple of matchups against ranked opponents in the next two weeks, a dominant performance like this was exactly what OSU needed.
Can any receiver establish himself as the No. 1 option?
Close enough!
De’Zhaun Stribling caught seven passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns in OSU’s win. After suffering a season-ending injury as the Cowboys’ leading receiver through four games in 2023, Stribling is getting into a groove in his second year in Stillwater.
In the first two games, Stribling dropped some potential big plays but more than made up for it against Tulsa, running wild all afternoon on the Golden Hurricane.
Of course, Brennan Presley seems likely to lead OSU in receptions. Considering how explosive he is with the football, simply getting him involved is imperative, even if he is not the favorite downfield threat. Meanwhile, Rashod Owens seems to be the clear No. 3 with the talent to become the top guy in any given game.
READ MORE: ESPN College GameDay Snubs Oklahoma State's Top 15 Matchup Against Utah
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IVAN WHITE
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.