Game Preview: Oklahoma State and Utah Set For Top 15 Showdown
Oklahoma State is set for its biggest game of the season.
On Saturday, No. 14 OSU will host No. 12 Utah in a matchup that is likely to have significant implications on the Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff. As the favorite in the Big 12 preseason poll, Utah will have an opportunity to make a statement in its first conference game as a Big 12 school.
Utah’s best chance of winning could lie in the strategy OSU’s first three opponents have used. Throughout the nonconference schedule, OSU consistently faced loaded boxes, which stifled Ollie Gordon and the Cowboys’ rushing attack.
Gordon has been nowhere near as effective as he was in 2023, but Alan Bowman has helped pick up some of the slack. Through three games, Bowman has 967 passing yards and has OSU in the top 10 in passing in the country.
With De’Zhaun Stribling, Brennan Presley and Rashod Owens each capable of breaking out in any game, the Cowboys need some big plays from them to get through a pesky Utah defense. Meanwhile, OSU’s defense is likely to have its hands full as Utah’s star quarterback Cam Rising should be available after missing Week 3’s game against Utah State.
The Cowboys' defense has been susceptible to giving up big plays but seemed to turn a corner against Tulsa. Still, without linebackers Collin Oliver and Justin Wright, OSU could suffer as a shorthanded group.
With such an important game in September, OSU’s continuity and experience will be crucial. Mike Gundy’s team has played games with conference championship implications before, which could make the difference on Saturday.
Playing in Boone Pickens Stadium should also help the Cowboys mightily. Since 2020, OSU has lost only three home games. The Cowboys are also 14-5 in conference home openers under Gundy, a record they will hope to improve this weekend.
READ MORE: OSU Football: Utah Players to Watch in Big 12 Opener
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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.