The No. 21 Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-0) look to extend their unbeaten streak as they travel to meet the West Virginia Mountaineers (3-1). The Big 12’s top passer, Skyler Howard (1,089 yards, 10 TDs), and the second-leading passer, Mason Rudolph (1,674 yards, 9 TDs) will have a major impact on this contest. It will begin Saturday, Oct 10 at 7:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESP2.
West Virginia lost big to Oklahoma 44-24 last week. Jovon Durante had a good game in the loss, totaling four receptions for 44 yards and one TD. Wendell Smallwood also had a big day, contributing 111 rushing yards on 22 attempts. Oklahoma State is hoping for another victory like last week’s performance, when it barely got past Kansas State 36-34. Mason Rudolph had a big game passing the ball for the Cowboys, completing 34 of 55 passes for 437 yards, three TDs and one interception. James Washington had a big game as well, totaling 100 receiving yards and a TD on seven receptions.
The Mountaineers, a six-point favorite, will be looking to defend their home field when Oklahoma State visits. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is currently unavailable.
The Mountaineers enter the game with records of 3-1 Straight Up (SU) and 2-2 Against The Spread (ATS) this season. The Mountaineers run the ball frequently. They rush 49.5 times per game, which is the 11th best in the nation. Turning to the Mountaineers defense, a few key spots could be deciding factors this week. West Virginia’s defense will look to improve its stats against the run when the Cowboys come to town. Oklahoma State’s 137.2 rushing yards per game makes them 106th in the nation. One of the keys to the game will be how the Cowboys plan to deal with West Virginia’s dynamic coverage. The defense leads the nation in interceptions with 2.5 per game.
On the other side, the Cowboys were a poor bet so far this season, with a disappointing record of 2-3 ATS. Their SU record, 5-0, hasn’t been quite as bad. Oklahoma State could plan on tossing the ball frequently. The Mountaineers defense is usually ineffective at containing the pass, giving up 15.3 yards per pass. Switching gears to the Oklahoma State defense, there are certain areas where it measures up well against the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers need to protect their quarterback against the sack-happy Cowboys. The Oklahoma State defense ranks second in the country in sacks with 4.4 per game. The Cowboys make it hard on their opponents down the stretch, averaging 12.6 points in the final quarter.
Predictions: SU Winner – Oklahoma State, ATS Winner – Oklahoma State
Notes
West Virginia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of West Virginia’s last 13 games.
West Virginia is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home.
Both teams are 3-0 SU when leading after two quarters this season.
Oklahoma State is undefeated this season (3-0 SU) in games where it wins the turnover battle.
