Oklahoma State vs. No. 13 BYU: Can Cowboys Cover as an Underdog?
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are in Provo, UT, for a Friday night matchup against the No. 13-ranked BYU Cougars. Given how Oklahoma State's season has gone thus far, playing in a primetime Friday night game might not be all that glamorous.
Heading into the matchup, the Cowboys are a nine-point underdog to BYU. Can they cover as over a touchdown underdog?
After a 3-0 start to the season, Oklahoma State's wheels have seemingly fallen off. They opeend Big 12 play by trailing Utah 22-3 for most of the game, scoring 16 points late in the fourth to trim their deficit and make the final score look better. They were then blown out by both Kansas State and West Virginia.
Following three straight losses, Oklahoma State made a crucial change. Quarterback Alan Bowman has hit the bench and Garret Rangel is now the starter. While the Cowboys are coming off a bye week and extra preparation, BYU's defense is no joke.
Evidently, if Oklahoma State wants to find any success, it starts with their rushing attack. Running back Ollie Gordon is coming off a Doak Walker Award victory and entered the season as a Heisman hopeful. Their rushing attack falling off this hard was wildly unexpected.
The Cowboys' offense needed a spark and starting Rangel might provide just that. If their offense opens up with a new quarterback under center and Gordon is able to get going, the Cowboys might be able to backdoor cover the spread, losing by a touchdown or less.
The offense could see a huge improvement against the Cougars, but that doesn't change the fact that Oklahoma State's defense has struggled mightily, giving up two straight 40-point performances to their opposition.
It's hard to imagine Oklahoma State keeps this game close enough to cover, primarily because of their defensive woes and inconsistencies, but an explosive offensive performance could shock everyone and, at minimum, cover the spread. It's not likely, though, and Oklahoma State seems to be en route to a 3-4 record and four-game losing streak.
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Kade has been covering a wide variety of teams ranging from the NFL to the NBA and college athletics since joining Sports Illustrated's On SI in 2022