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HOUSTON — The Oklahoma State football team heads into the Texas Bowl seeking the 10th double-digit victory season in program history.
To this point, seven of the school’s nine 10-win seasons have come under coach Mike Gundy, all in the last 14 years.
When the Texas Bowl matchup — pitting No. 20 OSU against Texas A&M at 8 p.m. Wednesday at NRG Stadium — the Aggies were 5.5-point favorites. But with several departures and a coaching staff undergoing major turnover, the point spread has moved significantly the Cowboys’ way.
Of course, OSU has been strong as an underdog this season, so going in as a two-point underdog won’t scare the Pokes at all.
Here’s a closer look at the game in the bowl edition of Four Downs:
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Oct 14, 2023; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State’s Collin Oliver (30) celebrates after sacking Kansas’s Jason Bean (9) in the second quarter during an NCAA football game between Oklahoma State (OSU) and Kansas at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan J. Fish-USA TODAY Sports
Cowboy in the Crosshairs
OSU linebacker Collin Oliver: Texas A&M has the No. 24 scoring offense in the country at 34.2 points per game, but there’s one area where Oklahoma State could attack a weakness.
The Aggies have allowed 28 sacks this season, an average of 2.3 per game.
That’s where Oliver comes in. The outside linebacker has 22.5 sacks for his career, ranking fifth on OSU’s all-time chart in just his third season. He has 6.0 sacks this season with eight quarterback hurries and five pass breakups.
Look for defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo to find ways to unleash Oliver off the edge.
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Number to Know
OSU running back Ollie…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/texas-ms-absent-defenders-impact-130453306.html
Author : The Oklahoman
Publish date : 2023-12-27 13:04:53
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