First against worst in Big 12 south
The no. 10 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys can take one step closer to winning the Big 12 south division and securing their spot in the Big 12 championship if they can manage a victory on Saturday 13 November against divisional opponent and unranked
Texas Longhorns.
Texas’ season so far
It has been a season of few positives for Longhorn fans. After beginning the season 3-0 with victories over Rice, Wyoming and Texas Tech, the Longhorns have managed to lose five of their last six games, with their lone win coming against Nebraska.
They lost to UCLA, Oklahoma, Iowa State, Baylor, and Kansas State. It is clear that this Texas team is trying to finish the season strong, and make the road a little tougher for their opponents starting this week with the Cowboys.
There is an advantage here for the Longhorns, and that is the Cowboys have not won in Austin, Texas since 1944. The Longhorns should not forget that little statistic.
Oklahoma State’s previous games
The 8-1 Cowboys opened their season winning their first six games and scoring 34 points or more in each game. Their streak was broken by the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a high scoring affair, 51-41, but the Cowboys quickly rebounded, taking care of business
against conference foes Kansas State and Baylor. A win this weekend against Texas, coupled with an Oklahoma loss in any of their last three games, will mean the Cowboys win the Big 12 South.
"Obviously, they get bigger every week, without a doubt. I don't know if we're naive or what, but I think guys are really not letting stress or not letting the pressure get to anybody," Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden said to espn.go.com.
Keys to victory
The Cowboys' offence is one of the best in the NCAA. They are ranked third in the passing game and third in average points scored per game. The only blemish on this offence would be their rushing game, which is ranked at 28th in the nation.
However, senior Kendall Hunter has rushed for more than 100 yards in seven of nine games this season and is currently the third best rusher in the country.
Quarterback Weeden also has his number one wide-out in Justin Blackmon, who is also up for Heisman nomination. With his 75 receptions for 1285 yards, Blackmon leads the country. To be successful on Saturday, Weeden will need to distribute the ball accordingly
between his wide outs and running backs and jump all over the Texas defence, which is ranked 52nd in points against.
The Longhorns could possibly ruin Oklahoma State’s season with a victory on Saturday, but they will need hard work, a lot harder than the efforts that have been present over the past three weeks. Their passing and rushing games on offence sit around the middle
of the pack, but their defence will have to be strong as they can only allow an average of 267 yards per game.
If the defence can get an early read on Weeden’s patterns, they might stand a chance, but they will need to pressure him and create turnovers. The more turnovers they create, the closer this game will be.
Prediction
Oklahoma State 35 – Texas 21
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