Who has edge in Oklahoma State football vs Utah? Ollie Gordon eyes breakout against Utes
Scott Wright
The Oklahoman
STILLWATER — The likenesses of the teams seem to be everywhere.
Head coaches in their 20th year.
Quarterbacks in their seventh season.
Programs known for
top-25 finishes without top-25 recruiting classes.
Oklahoma State and Utah align in many ways, but their first meeting in a Big 12 game will separate them in their equal pursuit of a conference title.
The 15th-ranked Cowboys host No. 10 Utah at 3 p.m. Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.
At different times by different sportsbooks, each team has been viewed as the point-spread favorite this week, with most of them inching toward the Pokes late in the week.
Regardless,
the matchups look fairly even, so let’s dive into the breakdown a little deeper:
When Oklahoma State runs the ball
Yet again the most intriguing element of the game for the OSU offense. Can the Cowboys get
Ollie Gordon II running wild again? It seems like an eventual certainty. But this week? Opponents are averaging 3.1 yards per carry and 109.0 yards per game against a
Utes defense that naturally focuses its efforts on stopping the run. And if they increase the efforts there, it could be a real struggle for the Cowboys.
When Oklahoma State throws the ball
To counterbalance Utah’s desire to stop the run, OSU quarterback Alan Bowman needs to continue with the efficient start to his season. The seventh-year QB has had one bad half of football through three games, totaling 967 yards on a completion percentage of 67.0 with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. When he gets one-on-one opportunities on Saturday, Bowman needs to cash in.
When Utah runs the ball
Overall, the Utes have been a balanced offense, but the run game has been a bit more effective, averaging 192.0 yards per game. With
seventh-year quarterback Cameron Rising expected to return after suffering a laceration on his throwing hand that kept him out the last game-and-a-half, he adds more value to the run game with his mobility, though he prefers to use it to keep passing plays alive rather than to gain yardage on foot.
When Utah throws the ball
Here’s where Rising’s hand will be tested the most. If the cut is impacting his accuracy, the OSU defense must turn that into takeaways. The big key for OSU will be getting pressure on Rising in the pocket, and not letting him get loose to keep plays alive. Those situations have not been good for OSU last year and early this year, seeing several big plays made by quarterbacks who escaped the pocket.
