For Immediate Release | October 2, 2023 | Contact: Sean Maguire (sean.maguire@okstate.edu)
Game Notes: Oklahoma State Hosts Kansas State on Friday Night
The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (2-2 overall; 0-1 Big 12) hosts its first Friday home game since 1956 this week, facing Kansas State (3-1 overall; 1-0 Big 12) at 6:30 p.m. CT on October 6 inside Boone Pickens Stadium.
On the Air
The game will be televised live on ESPN with Anish Shroff, Andre Ware and Paul Carcaterra on the call. It will also be carried live on the Cowboy Radio Network, with Dave Hunziker handling play-by-play, John Holcomb providing analysis and Robert Allen reporting from the sideline. Fans outside of the Cowboy Radio Network can listen to the OSU broadcast for free through The Varsity Network app. The broadcast can also be heard on SiriusXM channel 133 or 199.
Sold Out
Tickets sold out last week for Oklahoma State's matchup against Kansas State, continuing a sellout streak for every home game so far this season. The game joins the Central Arkansas, South Alabama and BYU contests as the fourth football game this season to sell out. OSU's season tickets also sold out during the second week of August. It marked the first time since 2013 that season tickets have sold out, although the 2013 sellout occurred after the start of the season. While the entire allotment of 49,555 season tickets has been sold - including suites, club, seating bowl and student tickets - there are still options to get into the 53,855-seat stadium through limited single game tickets to some games. There is also a waitlist for 2024 season tickets that fans can join now. There are limited single-game tickets remaining for the Kansas and Cincinnati games available at okstate.com/tickets or by calling or texting the OSU ticket office at 877-255-4678. Tickets for this week may still be found on SeatGeek, the official resale market of Oklahoma State Athletics.
Blackout Boone Pickens Stadium
This weekend's game marks the 2023 "Blackout" game, when all OSU fans in all sections are encouraged to wear black clothing. The day's festivities include a free pre-game concert from Rodney Atkins from 4-5:30 p.m. at the Hall of Fame Block Party north of Boone Pickens Stadium, celebration of the "Roots & Boots" game theme and black metallic pompons for fans.
Friday Night Lights
The game marks just the second Friday home game for OSU since 1940, with the only other instance coming against Kansas on October 26, 1956. That game against Kansas kicked off at 2 p.m. though. The most recent Friday night game in Stillwater before this week was played September 20, 1940, against Central State Teachers College (now the University of Central Oklahoma). The most recent regular season Friday game for the Cowboys regardless of location came in the 2019 season opener at Oregon State. In its history, Oklahoma State is 57-46-7 in Friday games and 32-16-6 in Friday games at home. Mike Gundy is 3-2 in regular season Friday games, with all of them to this point being played on the road.
In the Rankings
The Oklahoma State football team is not ranked, but has received votes in both the AP Top 25 and the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll this season. Through the 2022 season, Oklahoma State has been ranked in the top 15 of the Associated Press poll in 13 of the past 15 seasons and has reached the top 10 in 11 of those 15 years. Although the first College Football Playoff rankings won't be released until November 1, it's worth noting that OSU has been part of the CFP rankings in seven of the past eight seasons entering 2023. Kansas State is receiving votes and is just outside the top 25 in both major polls.
The Series
Friday's game marks the 70th overall meeting between Oklahoma State and Kansas State in a series that dates to 1908. The 2023 season also marks the 14th consecutive year the teams have played. OSU holds a 42-27 all-time advantage in the series, including a 23-9 edge in games played in Stillwater. The Cowboys have won nine of the past 14 meetings in the series, including three of the past four. OSU has also won seven of the past eight and each of the past two games played in Stillwater. Coach Mike Gundy is 9-6 in his career against K-State, while KSU coach Chris Klieman is 1-3 against the Cowboys.
Oklahoma State from a Distance
The Oklahoma State football team is coming off its bye week at 2-2 and is heading into its first home Big 12 game of the 2023 season. The Cowboys most recently fell at Iowa State, 27-34, but had a chance to tie the game on their final possession and broke the Cyclones' FBS-leading streak of 18 games of not allowing opponents to total more than 400-yards of offense. The talk surrounding the Cowboys this season has centered on a three-man rotation at quarterback that included Alan Bowman, Gunnar Gundy and Garret Rangel. They split time equally in each of the first three games, but Bowman got the nod as the starter in Ames and played the entire game at quarterback for the first time this season. Ollie Gordon also saw the majority of snaps at running back after he had split time with Jaden Nixon and Elijah Collins in each of the first three games of the year. The biggest storyline on the defensive side has been the Cowboys' move to include a three-man front in its scheme under new defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo. The transition included moving former freshman All-America defensive end Collin Oliver to linebacker and involving several transfers in the gameplan. Oklahoma State has included four players from the 2023 transfer portal in its starting lineup this season and 13 total 2023 transfers have already seen meaningful playing time. This Friday's game marks the beginning of a two-game homestand against Kansas State and Kansas before going back on the road to play West Virginia.
An Oklahoma State Win Would ...
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in October games to 47-21.
• Give it wins in 10 of its past 14 and in 23 of its past 30 games following a loss.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in home games to 91-29.
• Improve its all-time record against Kansas State to 43-27 and its record vs. KSU in Stillwater to 24-9.
• Give it wins in 10 of its past 15 games against K-State three straight wins over K-State in Stillwater.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record against Kansas State to 10-6.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 96-62.
• Make it 24-10 in its past 34 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season.
• Make it 89-23 in its past 112 games vs. opponents outside of the AP Top 25, dating to 2010.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• The Cowboy defense has produced a shutout half in two of four games this season.
• OSU has held 30 of its past 34 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average entering the game.
• OSU has won 83 consecutive games when holding its opponent to fewer than 20 points, dating back to Sept. 13, 2003 – the longest active stretch of time in the FBS and longest since at least 1980.
• OSU has held its opponent scoreless on its game-opening drive in 33 of its past 48 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 41 of its past 42 games.
• OSU is 34-16 in its past 50 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 45-8 in its past 53 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• Dating back to 2005, OSU is 46-4 when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to 2008, OSU is 75-8 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won three of its past five overtime games.
• Over the past 41 games, OSU has held opponents to 181-for-632 (28.6%) on third down.
