Burning Questions Ahead of Oklahoma State's Nonconference Finale
Oklahoma State is set to finish its nonconference schedule with a matchup against an in-state rival, and it has some areas to improve.
Although OSU escaped its matchup with Arkansas in double overtime, the Cowboys might have created more questions than they answered. As injuries and areas of concern build going into conference play, the Cowboys have one more opportunity to gain some clarity on Saturday.
Burning questions for OSU’s matchup with Tulsa:
Can Obi Ezeigbo consistently take on a larger role?
Without Collin Oliver for potentially the rest of the season, the Cowboys will need others to step up in his place. Ezeigbo shined against Arkansas and made some significant plays after Oliver suffered an injury. He finished with nine tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
After making the jump from Gannon in Division II to a Big 12 school, there could easily be a point where Ezeigbo hits a wall. Considering how much production Oliver was capable of each week, any consistency from Ezeigbo would be massive.
Is OSU’s defense capable of preventing big plays?
Perhaps the most glaring issue through OSU’s first two games was the defense’s inability to prevent long plays. As a heavy favorite against Tulsa, OSU should be able to take care of business, but allowing big plays could be enough to keep Tulsa within reach.
Even if OSU allows conversions on important third downs or Tulsa has long drives down the field, any progress on stopping small gains from becoming explosive would be a step in the right direction.
Can the Cowboys take care of business against an inferior opponent?
In the first two weeks, OSU was on upset alert against the back-to-back FCS national champions and an SEC squad looking to rebound from a bad year. After escaping those games in Stillwater, the Cowboys will have perhaps their worst opponent of the season in Week 3.
A nearly three-touchdown favorite against Tulsa, OSU will have an opportunity to show it is a true level above some teams. If the Golden Hurricane hangs around and causes issues, it could be a bad sign when OSU enters the weaker part of its Big 12 schedule in late October and November.
Can any receiver establish himself as the No. 1 option?
The Cowboys’ top three receivers through two games are no surprise, with Rashod Owens, Brennan Presley and De’Zhaun Stribling all within 25 receiving yards. While Owens has been mostly a big play threat and Presley has been Alan Bowman’s favorite target, Stribling could soon be OSU’s No. 1 receiver.
In the first two games, he dropped a few passes on potential big plays. If Stribling can bring those in, he could easily take over as OSU’s leading receiver. Still, Presley and Owens have more chemistry with Bowman and could be in a position to be the top two receivers again in 2024.
READ MORE: How to Watch Oklahoma State at Tulsa: Kickoff Time, TV, Streaming and Odds
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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.