Oklahoma State HC Mike Gundy Speaks on Facing Texas in the Big 12 Championship
The Oklahoma State Cowboys underwent a miraculous season turnaround that's going to see them playing in the Big 12 Championship on Saturday. They're facing Texas, the No. 7 team in the nation with College Football Playoff aspirations. This will be no easy task for the Cowboys, who are 14.5-point favorites.
It's no secret the Longhorns are an incredibly impressive team, and they'll be a tough team to play on both sides of the ball. They have versatility on both sides of the ball, and the Cowboys won't have much room for error on Saturday.
"They're 2.9 [yards per] carry. This is tough for the guys rushing the football against them. They're a 35-point team scoring, and they're only giving up 17, they're double. Their margin is pretty big. It's pretty rare you see that," Gundy said of the Longhorns' stout defense, particularly in the run.
With the Cowboys looking to utilize Gordon, they'll have to be able to be successful in a balanced offense approach, forcing the Longhorns to pick their poison.
"They're 25 percent third-down conversion defensively, which is really good. There's a reason why they are where they are. In particular, that's what you're dealing with. More of a traditional defense. They can play gaps and play coverage. They don't have to necessarily overload the box to stop the run," Gundy continued.
The Cowboys' approach to the game isn't much of a secret. They've taken a balanced approach all season, and it relies on the passing game finding success to stretch the field for Ollie Gordon.
"I think at this point, I would guess their coaches know we're going to do what we do and I'm going to say for the most part they're going to do what they do. We're in Week 13 and there's not a lot of changes that are going to take place over a two-day preparation."
Knowing Gordon is going to touch the ball a lot is one thing, actually stopping him is another. If Alan Bowman and the passing game can play mistake-free football and get the offense moving, they can be dangerous. The Longhorns' defense might not have too many holes, so taking whatever they can get will be huge for the Cowboys.
"We would like to not be one dimensional, one dimensional has not been good for our team no matter who we play, much less a team that's as talented as Texas."
It'll be interesting to see how the two teams match up. As mentioned, the Longhorns are a big favorite and the Cowboys have pretty much nothing to lose with no potential College Football Playoff appearance on the line.
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