Game Preview: Oklahoma State Searching For First Big 12 Win at Baylor
Oklahoma State is desperate to get its first Big 12 win, and a trip to Waco could do the trick.
Two years ago, OSU went to Baylor and won its first conference game against the Bears. Mike Gundy’s team will head to Waco again this season without a conference win, but this game is much deeper into the season.
The team’s 2022 win in Waco was not only the conference opener but also a rematch of the 2021 Big 12 Championship. In the years since, both teams have searched for the success of that season to no avail.
The Cowboys and Bears will both enter this matchup with losing records for the first time since 2005. Alongside many other marks this season, that was Gundy’s first season at the helm.
To avoid the fate of a losing record and bowl-less season that came with that 2005 campaign, OSU could use a win on Saturday. Considering the teams’ performances in conference play, OSU will need to outscore Baylor.
OSU and Baylor are two of the three worst scoring defenses in conference play. After scoring 59 points against Texas Tech last week in its first Big 12 win, Baylor will present a significant challenge for OSU’s shorthanded defense.
Sawyer Robertson and Josh Cameron have combined for one of the most explosive quarterback-receiver duos in the Big 12 and could have a field day against the Cowboys on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Cowboys will need a vintage performance from Alan Bowman, who is back in the starting role after Garret Rangel suffered a season-ending broken collarbone at BYU.
Without a number of key defensive players, OSU will be hard-pressed to stop a potent Baylor offense. Considering the team’s uncertainty on offense as well, outsourcing the Bears might be just as difficult.
While the 3-4 Bears are the worst team OSU has faced in conference play, the matchup could end with the same result as all the others.
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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.