Three Takeaways From Oklahoma State’s Win Over Kansas
The Oklahoma State Cowboys have seemingly turned their season around. After a terrible loss at South Alabama and what seemed like a bad loss at the time to Iowa State, people were calling for Mike Gundy’s job.
A timely bye week and matchups between Kansas State and Kansas made for a good opportunity to turn things around on the season, but it would take a lot.
Behind big play from Ollie Gordon, the Cowboys defeated Kansas 39-32. Here are three takeaways from the win.
- The game plan is simple. Feed Ollie Gordon. He did a little bit of everything in this game. Finishing with 29 carries, he totaled 168 rushing yards, adding 116 receiving yards with six receptions. He scored a touchdown both in the air and on the ground.
"Our offensive line is playing much better now than we did a month ago,” Gundy said in his post-game press conference. “We’re not getting negative-yardage plays — for the most part. And Ollie is staying on the chains and running downhill and not dancing, which is what he needs to do. So now we’re working in sync. That’s why we look better."
- Offense? The Cowboys scored 30 points for the first time this season -- and really the first time in nearly a calendar year. Obviously, Gordon having an absolutely unconscious game helps, but it appears that him getting the proper touches and having a consistent quarterback under center helps quite a bit.
Rashod Owens and Brennan Presley are finally picking up steam in the offense, though it's more so out of necessity with De'Zhaun Stribling out with injury.
- Collin Oliver is a force. His 2.5 sacks were game-changing, with his last one coming at a crucial time. He's been having a big season, but he continues to impress more and more as the season carries along. Add two pass deflections to his resume with seven total tackles, and his box score looks incredible.
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