Burning Questions For Oklahoma State's Pivotal Matchup at Baylor
Oklahoma State’s season could hinge on this weekend’s trip to Waco.
On Saturday, OSU will face Baylor in a matchup of 3-4 teams desperate to get this season back on track. While OSU showed little promise throughout its first three conference games, a bye week and inspired performance against BYU could be the boost that Mike Gundy’s team needs.
Burning questions for OSU’s Big 12 matchup at Baylor:
Can OSU run effectively again?
Against BYU, the Cowboys had their best rushing performance of the season by a wide margin, gaining 269 yards on the ground. Ollie Gordon broke some big runs, Rodney Fields Jr. showed promise, and the quarterback run game began to take shape.
With Alan Bowman set to start, the rushing threat under center is eliminated, and OSU could struggle to find that success again. Against a Baylor defense that is below average against the run, OSU could catch a break/
Will OSU’s defense be able to limit big plays?
OSU simply needed to keep BYU out of the end zone to get its first conference win and back over .500. However, the Cowboys missed multiple tackles as they allowed the Cougars to score on a 35-yard pass with 10 seconds left.
That is far from the only big play that has burned OSU this season. With Bryan Nardo’s defense consistently ranking as one of the worst in the conference, it must limit big plays against an explosive Baylor offense.
Can Alan Bowman be the starter for the rest of the year?
Bowman’s talent level is average at best, but as a natural gunslinger, he is capable of putting up big numbers. After being pulled in two games and coming in as a backup against BYU, the Cowboys clearly lost trust in his ability to lead the offense to success.
With only five games left and Maealiuaki Smith still yet to appear, he only needs to sit out one game to maintain his redshirt. If Bowman can’t find success against one of the worst defenses in the Big 12, and OSU falls to 3-5, keeping the seventh-year man in charge would make little sense.
Did the BYU loss reignite the Cowboys or crush their spirits?
OSU’s energy level in the opening minutes will say a lot about how the team viewed its loss against BYU. The Cowboys held their own in a tough environment against an undefeated playoff contender. That typically bodes well for future performances, particularly with a veteran group.
However, the Cowboys also gave their all, and it wasn’t enough despite playing their best game in over a month. With how crushing the final touchdown was, it could have a lingering effect.
READ MORE: How to Watch Oklahoma State at Baylor: Kickoff Time, Streaming and Odds
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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.