Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Brigham Young Cougars Pick & Prediction OCTOBER 18th 2024
Preview and Prediction
During the month of July, Brigham Young University was selected to finish in the 13th spot in the newly revamped Big 12 Conference.
After a 41-19 victory over Arizona on Saturday, the Cougars climbed to the 13th spot in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings, boasting an overall record of 6-0 and a conference record of 3-0.
As BYU prepares for their upcoming conference game against Oklahoma State on Friday night in Provo, Utah, some players have their sights set on more than just qualifying for a bowl game. They have their sights set on securing a spot in the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
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Cornerback Jakob Robinson expressed his aspirations, stating, "We are eligible for a bowl game, but that's not my main focus. I want to make it to the national championship."
The Cougars' current resume certainly makes them a contender for the championship. They have outscored their opponents 206-98, including a 38-9 win over the currently ranked No. 17 team, Kansas State, and an 18-15 win over the No. 21 team, SMU, one of the four remaining undefeated teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Quarterback Jake Retzlaff has thrown 14 touchdown passes and has a completion rate of 60.3%. Wide receivers Chase Roberts and Darius Lassiter make a formidable duo, and the defense has been able to pressure the quarterback, with eight different players recording sacks and forcing turnovers.
Aside from a surprisingly low third-down conversion rate of 30.6%, which ranks among the worst in the nation, there are no major weaknesses on this BYU team.
Retzlaff expressed his excitement for the rest of the season, stating, "I'm really looking forward to what we can accomplish. We just want to keep improving every week, and this team has the right mindset for it. We're only ranked 13th in the country; we are better than that."
While the Cougars aim to continue their winning streak, Oklahoma State (3-3, 0-3) is hoping for a fresh start in the second half of their season. After losing their first three conference games by increasingly large margins, the Cowboys last played on October 5th, suffering a 38-14 defeat at the hands of West Virginia.
The Oklahoma State offense has not lived up to expectations, with running back Ollie Gordon II on pace to rush for less than half of his national-best 1,732 yards from last year, and quarterback Alan Bowman throwing eight interceptions in six games.
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Gordon's performance has been concerning enough that coach Mike Gundy has not committed to starting him this week, stating, "We're giving all of our guys quality practice time."
The defense has also struggled, particularly against the run. In their last two games, they have given up a whopping 389 rushing yards to West Virginia and 300 rushing yards to Kansas State.
Gundy acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, "We need to improve our run defense and limit the big plays."
In their previous three meetings, Oklahoma State has emerged victorious against BYU, including a 40-34 double-overtime win last year to close out the regular season.