Game Preview: Oklahoma State vs. South Dakota State
Oklahoma State will have a tough matchup to begin the 2024 season.
On Saturday, OSU will take the field for the first time in eight months and look to build on its 10-win campaign. Meanwhile, FCS powerhouse South Dakota State will look to extend its 29-game winning streak fresh off its second straight national championship.
Each team returns a slew of players from their successful 2023 campaigns. Despite the overall talent on both rosters, the matchup could come down to which offensive superstar shines brightest.
Ollie Gordon burst onto the scene in 2023 and transformed the Cowboys’ offense. Running behind a veteran group on the offensive line, Gordon rushed for an FBS-leading 1,732 yards to go with 21 touchdowns.
With nine 100-yard performances in 11 games as the top option, Gordon has an opportunity to have a historic season. Of course, getting off to a good start against the Jackrabbits is important, but it won’t be easy.
While no one will be surprised if Gordon has a big day to begin his junior year, SDSU’s Mark Gronowski will be looking to make his mark in Stillwater. Last season, Gronowski threw for 3,058 yards and 29 touchdowns while getting another 402 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
As the best player in the FCS, Gronowski is already drawing attention from the NFL. Considering the national attention he could get against OSU, Saturday could be one of the most important days of his career.
Beyond the stars, both teams are well-coached and unlikely to beat themselves. That means whichever team can force the other into mistakes could have the upper hand.
At +16, South Dakota State had the FCS’ third-best turnover margin last season. Meanwhile, the Cowboys narrowly finished in the positive in that area at +2. The turnover battle will not be the lone factor on Saturday, but it could easily swing the game.
Finally, one of the overlooked factors ahead of the matchup is the weather. With temperatures in Brookings hovering around 80 for the high, coming to Stillwater in August could present an extra challenge for the Jackrabbits against the No. 17 Cowboys. While Saturday is forecast to be one of the coolest days of the month, the high of 85 could feel much warmer if the clouds dissipate for the 1 p.m. kickoff.
Regardless, Saturday should be one of the best Week 1 games in college football. OSU’s performance against SDSU could help kickstart its College Football Playoff run or land it on a list of the greatest FCS over FBS upsets in recent history.
READ MORE: South Dakota State HC Confident Ahead of Matchup With Oklahoma State
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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.