WVU Opponent Breakdown: Scouting the Oklahoma State Cowboys

Getting to Know the Oklahoma State Cowboys ahead of the Mountaineers Big 12 road opener

Sep 7, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Ollie Gordon II (0) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Boone Pickens Stadium. / William Purnell-Imagn Images

The West Virginia Mountaineers (2-2, 1-0) are on the road to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-2, 0-2) Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. EST and the action is broadcasting on ESPN2.

Oklahoma State is coming off back-to-back losses to open Big 12 Conference play after losing the league opener to Utah and was trounced at Kansas State 42-20 on Saturday, knocking the Cowboys out of the top 25. It’s the first time the Cowboys have started 0-2 to begin the conference slate since 2005 when they dropped the first five Big 12 games of the season.

OFFENSE

The offensive line is most experienced line in college football, led by preseason All-American and preseason All-Big 12 selection center Joe Michalski and preseason All-Big 12 left tackle Dalton Cooper. Seven offensive linemen return who made multiple OSU starts in 2023, including six redshirt super seniors and one redshirt senior. That group alone combined for 200 career FBS starts, 284 career FBS games played and an average age of 23.6 years old entering the season.

The Oklahoma State rushing attack was considered one of the best in the country ahead of the season, featuring the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year Ollie Gordon. However, the Cowboys are off to a slow start, averaging 102 yards per game on the ground and Gordon is averaging 66.8 rushing ypg and he has only eclipsed the 100-yard mark once.

The men in the trenches have kept the quarterback clean, allowing just one sack through the first five games.

Alan Bowman is third in the Big 12 with 307.4 passing yards per game but his numbers have dipped in the first two league games, throwing for an average of 285 ypg and four of his six interceptions on the year gave come in the last two games.

De’Zhaun Stribling leads the team with 502 receiving yards on 27 receptions and three touchdowns.  

Brennan Presley has multiple catches in 35 straight games, the second longest active streak in the FBS. The senior is fourth in the league in receptions with a team-high 33 and leads the team with four touchdown receptions.

DEFENSE

The Oklahoma State defense ranks near the bottom of the NCAA in total yards allowed at 480.6 ypg, including a league worst 204.2 rushing yards per game and sit 13th in the Big 12 in defensive scoring, giving up 25.0 ppg.

Safety Trey Rucker ranks second in the country with 63 total tackles and is tied with teammate Korie Black, along with a host of others, for second in the Big 12 with two interceptions.

Preseason All-Big 12 linebacker Nick Martin has 47 tackles on the season ranks second in the league and is also second in the conference with 7.5 tackles for loss.

Linebackers Kendal Daniels and Obi Ezeigbo have combined for four sacks on the year.