The nation’s fifth-leading passer, Mason Rudolph (947 yards, 5 TDs), will be on display when the No. 24 Oklahoma State Cowboys meet the Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns currently hold a 1-2 record, and the Cowboys have gone 3-0. The game will begin Saturday, Sep 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN.
Texas barely lost to California 45-44 last week. Daje Johnson had a big game in the loss, registering five receptions for 145 yards. Jerrod Heard also had a big day, contributing 364 yards through the air. Oklahoma State is hoping for a similar result to last week’s performance when they routed UTSA 69-14 in its matchup. Raymond Taylor had a solid outing on the ground for the Cowboys, rushing for 76 yards and one TD on three carries. Mason Rudolph had a big game as well, totaling 280 yards and two TDs through the air.
Oklahoma State is a five-point favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 60 points.
The Longhorns enter the game with both records currently 1-2 Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS) this season. On special teams, Texas has some playmakers. They average 151.7 return yards per game, ninth in Division I.
Across the field, the Cowboys have a record of 1-2 ATS and 3-0 SU. They sport the 20th-ranked scoring offense in the country, averaging 41.7 points per game. If earlier games are any indication, the Cowboys will throw the ball a lot. They average 330.7 passing yards per game, good enough for 16th in Division I. The Cowboys only give up 11.7 points per game and will be pushing their defense to climb even higher in the rankings. The Cowboys are one of the best in the nation at preventing their opponents’ rushing attack, allowing their opposition just 2.9 yards per rush. When Oklahoma State’s defensive front gets going, they are basically unstoppable. This year, the Cowboys average three sacks per game, good enough for 16th in the country. The Cowboys generally save their best for last, averaging 15.7 points in the fourth quarter.
Predictions: SU Winner – Oklahoma State, ATS Winner – Oklahoma State, O/U – Over
Notes
Texas is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games.
Texas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Texas’s last 24 games.
Texas is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas’s last 5 games at home.
Texas is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma State.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Texas’s last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma State is 3-0 SU when leading at the start of the 4th quarter this season. Texas is 1-0 SU when carrying a lead into the fourth quarter.
Oklahoma State also seems to have an advantage in the passing game when comparing just conference ratings. Its offensive passing game (ranked sixth in the Big 12) will face the ninth-ranked pass defense of Texas, while its sixth-ranked pass defense will look to control the ninth-ranked aerial attack of the Longhorns.
Oklahoma State also has an advantage in the ground game when comparing just in-conference stats. Its seventh-ranked rushing attack will face the ninth-ranked rush defense of Texas, while its seventh-ranked run defense will look to contain the ninth-ranked run game of the Longhorns.
