Three Takeaways From Oklahoma State's Victory Over South Dakota State
On Saturday afternoon, Oklahoma State notched a 44-20 victory over the South Dakota State in the Cowboys' season opener.
Mike Gundy and company started their 2024 campaign on a high note, dominating the No. 1 team in the FCS Coaches Poll and the defending FCS champions.
While the Jackrabbits remained within striking distance early in the contest, Kasey Dunn's offense increased the gap while Bryan Nardo's defense shut down SDSU's chances for an upset in Stillwater.
Here are three takeaways from OSU's win over South Dakota State.
Heisman hopeful
After winning the Doak Walker Award last season, Ollie Gordon II had a strong start to the Pokes' 2024 campaign on Saturday, rushing for 104 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 42 receiving yards and another score through the air.
With nearly 146 total yards and three touchdowns on 31 touches, Gordon is just eight yards short of his output in first three outings of 2023 combined.
The junior tailback broke multiple tackles, outran defenders in the open field and showed off his athleticism on multiple occasions, indicating he is likely in store for another big year.
Stribling looks good in return to action
After breaking his wrist four games into his first season in Stillwater, former Washington State transfer De'Zhaun Stribling had an impressive performance in his return to the gridiron.
Stribling tallied six catches for 83 yards against SDSU on Saturday, seamlessly transitioning back into the Cowboys' offense after missing most of the 2023 season.
With Stribling healthy again and looking fully capable of being a contributor in Dunn's offense, OSU has a deep receiver corps headlined by Brennan Presley and Rashod Owens, who both scored against the Jackrabbits.
Cowboys defense comes up big when it counts
While South Dakota State did manage 20 points, Oklahoma State's defense still had an impressive performance.
Despite SDSU racking up just six fewer yards than the Pokes on offense, OSU's defense was excellent on third and fourth down. The Cowboys held the Jackrabbits to 3-for-13 on third down conversions and 0-of-4 on fourth down conversions, preventing the visitors from maintaining any consistency on offense.
In addition to their impressive performance on third and fourth down, the Cowboys recorded four tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two sacks and one interception.
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RANDALL SWEET