Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane Pick & Prediction SEPTEMBER 14th 2024

Preview and Prediction

As per Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, the obstacle for Saturday's match-up against Tulsa doesn't lie in the potential strategies the Golden Hurricane may devise on offense or defense.

Rather, it is how his 13th-ranked team can rebound after requiring double overtime last week to secure a 39-31 victory over Arkansas.

"College football is a one-game season," Gundy stated. "It began on Sunday and will end on Saturday after the game against Tulsa. You must physically and mentally prepare yourself. This includes staying hydrated, eating well, getting enough rest, and studying. These are the necessary steps to maximize your performance each week."

"If you are not mature enough to understand this, then you will struggle."

Gundy is optimistic that his team's experienced sixth- and seventh-year seniors possess the maturity to not overlook their in-state rival, who would love nothing more than to hand them a devastating loss before next week's Big 12 Conference opener against Utah.

One area the Cowboys (2-0) are looking to improve is their running game, which was expected to be a strong point but has not lived up to expectations. Ollie Gordon II, who was considered a Heisman Trophy contender before the season began, only managed 49 yards on 17 carries last week, although he did score the game-winning touchdown on a 12-yard run.

"At the end of the day, you have to think about the team," Gordon remarked. "Football is not an individual sport, it is a team sport. Keeping that in mind at all times is what got us through it."

Gordon currently has 175 yards on 45 carries, averaging 3.9 yards per carry. He is expected to receive a significant workload early on in an effort to establish the running game on the road.

Tulsa (1-1) could have also entered this game with an unblemished record, but instead, they surrendered a 10-point halftime lead last week in a 28-24 loss to Arkansas State. The outcome was a disappointment for Kamdyn Benjamin, who caught six passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.

"We left some points on the board," said Golden Hurricane coach Kevin Wilson. "In the third quarter, we were outplayed. We struggled with blocking in the second half. Some mistakes and poor play-calling cost us. We need to regroup and see what we have."

So far, Tulsa has displayed a strong offensive performance, averaging 43 points in two games. This is characteristic of Wilson's previous offenses as a coordinator at Oklahoma and head coach at Indiana. Benjamin is on track to surpass 1,000 receiving yards, and quarterback Kirk Francis is averaging an impressive 12.8 yards per completion.

However, the team's defense and special teams are a cause for concern. Last week, the Golden Hurricane struggled to get off the field, allowing 8 of 17 third-down conversions and giving up a 77-yard punt return touchdown in Arkansas State's 21-point third quarter.

In the all-time series, Oklahoma State holds a commanding 44-27-5 lead over Tulsa. The last time these two teams met in Tulsa, the Cowboys came out on top with a 28-23 victory three years ago.

PREDICTION

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane Recap SEP 14TH 2024

Alan Bowman threw for 396 yards and five touchdowns Saturday as No. 13 Oklahoma State roared out to a 28-0 halftime lead on its way to a 45-10 road rout of Tulsa.

Bowman completed 24 of 31 passes with an interception as the Cowboys improved to 3-0. Oklahoma State outgained the Golden Hurricane 560-352 in its final non-conference tune-up before opening Big 12 play next week at home against Utah.

Kirk Francis hit 14 of 31 passes for 153 yards with an interception for Tulsa (1-2), which came into the contest averaging 43 points per game. The aggressive Cowboys notched seven tackles for loss, including a pair of sacks, and permitted just 5 of 16 3rd-down conversions.

Bowman started his aerial attack with a 1-yard scoring strike to Brennan Presley at the 8:38 mark of the first quarter, capping a game-opening 16-play, 75-yard drive. It became 14-0 just over two minutes into the second period on Bowman's 8-yard touchdown pass to De'Zhaun Stribling.

That kicked off a 21-point quarter that put the game out of reach for the Golden Hurricane. Bowman found Talyn Shettron for a 78-yard strike on Oklahoma State's next possession, then capped a 274-yard half by hitting Josh Ford for an 18-yard touchdown with 3:23 left in the second quarter.

Bowman connected with Stribling, who finished the game with seven grabs for 174 yards and two scores, on a 63-yard scoring strike over the middle at the 8:19 mark of the third quarter. Logan Ward tacked on a 43-yard field goal and Sesi Vailahi scored on a 1-yard run with 10:05 left in the game to cap the Cowboys' scoring.

Tulsa averted a shutout by scoring on its last two possessions. Seth Morgan booted a 43-yard field goal with 6:15 remaining and backup quarterback Stephen Kittleman reached the end zone on a 9-yard run on the first play after the two-minute timeout.

Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II, who was considered a Heisman Trophy candidate by some prior to the season, was held to 41 yards on 17 carries.