The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (5-1 overall; 2-1 Big 12) returns to Stillwater this week to face Texas (5-2 overall; 3-1 Big 12) in the 101st edition of "America's Greatest Homecoming," with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 22, in Boone Pickens Stadium.
Sold Out
Saturday's Homecoming game against Texas officially sold out in September. Including the UAPB, Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU and Texas games, Oklahoma State has now sold out three consecutive home games and will play in front of at least five consecutive sell-out crowds regardless of location. Tickets for OSU's final two home games against Iowa State (November 12) and West Virginia (November 26) are moving quickly too, and fans are encouraged to get their tickets now to ensure availability. Tickets for both games are available at okstate.com/tickets or by calling or texting the ticket office at 877-255-4678. Those still looking for tickets to the Homecoming game against Texas can visit StubHub, OSU's official third-party resale partner.
On the Air
The game will be televised by ABC with Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and Tom Luginbill 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 game will also be broadcast to a national radio audience on Westwood One Sports with Mike Watts and Derek Rackley on the call.
Noting the Cowboys in Homecoming Games
Oklahoma State is 56-38-6 in Homecoming games. The Cowboys have won five of their past six and 11 of their past 14 on Homecoming.
Homecoming Activities
Homecoming is a big deal at Oklahoma State and is referred to as “America’s Greatest Homecoming.” This year's events mark the 101st time that Oklahoma State has hosted its nationally recognized Homecoming celebration. The first Homecoming was hosted in 1920 by the OSU Alumni Association and it has been held every year since then except for 1943 (canceled due to World War II) and 2020 (canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Friday's night's "Walkaround" is Homecoming's most famous and highly attended event, but the week is full of daily events to commemorate the occasion, including Sunday's dyeing of the Edmon Low Library fountain, Tuesday's Harvest Carnival & Chili Cook-Off, Wednesday's Hester Street Painting, Friday's Homecoming & Hoops after Walkaround and Saturday morning's Sea of Orange Parade down Main Street. For a full list of activities, visit the OSU Alumni Association website, orangeconnection.org/homecoming.
In the Rankings
The Oklahoma State football team was voted No. 11 in the AP Top 25 and the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. It marks the 19th consecutive AP poll that the Cowboys have been ranked in the top 15, which is the longest streak in school history. Including 2022, OSU has now reached the top 10 of the AP poll at some point in 11 of the past 15 seasons and has seen a top 15 ranking in the AP poll in 13 of those 15 seasons. 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 six of the past seven seasons entering 2022. Texas is ranked No. 20 by the AP is No. 21 in the coaches poll.
19 Straight Polls in the AP Top 15
Oklahoma State has been ranked in the top 15 of every Associated Press poll since October 3, 2021, which is a school record streak of 19 consecutive sets of rankings. Here are longest streaks in school history:
Consecutive Polls in the AP Top 15
1. 19 (2021-22)
2. 17 (2016-17)
3. 17 (2010-11)
4. 14 (1984)
5. 12 (1988)
6. 11 (1985)
7. 9 (2008)
8. 8 (2015)
The Series
Saturday's game marks the 37th overall meeting between Oklahoma State and Texas in a series that dates to 1916. The 2022 season also marks the 27th consecutive year the teams have played, beginning with the first season of Big 12 Conference play in 1996. Texas holds a 26-10 all-time advantage in the series and a 9-3 advantage in games played in Stillwater. OSU has won eight of the past 12 matchups with Texas, as well as two of the past three played in Stillwater. OSU's five straight road wins at UT from 2010-17 marked the only time any team has beaten the Longhorns in five straight trips to Austin. Coach Mike Gundy is 8-9 in his career against Texas, while Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is 0-1 against Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma State from a Distance
Now halfway through the 2022 regular season, the No. 11 Oklahoma State football team is 5-1 following a double-overtime road loss at now-No. 8 TCU. Coach Mike Gundy's team pillars of "Discipline and Toughness" (DAT for short), have continued a years-long run of success into this season, and the Cowboys are putting impressive numbers in all three phases of the game. OSU has the No. 4 scoring offense in the FBS at 45.3 points per game, ranks No. 3 in the FBS with 9.0 tackles for loss per game and leads the Big 12 in both kickoff returns and kickoff return defense. On top of that, the Cowboys are No. 7 in the FBS in fewest penalties with just 27 total so far this season. The offense runs through four-year starting quarterback Spencer Sanders, as the senior now ranks No. 5 in the FBS with 21.3 points responsible for per game and No. 12 in the FBS with 324.7 yards of total offense per game. The three players putting up the most all-purpose yards are wide receiver Brennan Presley, running back Dominic Richardson and wide receiver Braydon Johnson. Wide receivers Bryson Green and John Paul Richardson have also added several impressive plays this season. The defensive side has continued previous years' success in several areas. In addition to the FBS No. 3 tackles for loss ranking, the Cowboys have also excelled at third down defense (No. 5 at 26.9%) and getting to the quarterback with a Big 12-best 2.83 sacks per game. The defensive line, which is one of the oldest and most experienced in college football, is the anchor of that side of the ball, and double-digit players contribute on the unit every week. Linebacker Mason Cobb has been OSU's leading tackler (9.0 per game), and he now ranks No. 2 in the Big 12 in total tackles this season. Special teams play has also made a big impact this season. In addition to the impressive kickoff return numbers bolstered by Jaden Nixon's 98-yard touchdown vs. Baylor, punter Tom Hutton has downed 15 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line this season to mark the fourth-most in the FBS, and kicker Tanner Brown has made all 42 of his placekicks with a 12-for-12 mark on field goal attempts. Brown, who ranks No. 1 in the FBS in kicker scoring, is one of only three FBS players who has attempted at least 12 field goals without a miss this season and he is the only kicker who has attempted more than 40 total place kicks without a miss.
An Oklahoma State Win Would ...
• Make it 6-1 or better for the second straight season and for the ninth time in the Mike Gundy era.
• Improve its school-record home winning streak to 13 games.
• Give it seven straight wins in games following a loss.
• Give it wins in eight of its past nine regular season conference games.
• Give it wins in nine of its past 13 games vs. Texas, and in three of its past four games vs. UT in Stillwater.
• Improve its record against Texas to 11-26 and it record against Texas in Stillwater to 4-9.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record against Texas to 9-9.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 94-57.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in home games to 88-27.
• Make it 20-3 in its past 23 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season.
• Make it 154-69 in its history when playing as an AP-ranked team.
• Make it 141-40 in its history when playing as a higher AP-ranked team than its opponent.
• Make it 8-2 in its past 10 and 17-7 in its past 24 games vs. AP Top 25 teams.
• Mark Mike Gundy's 38th career win vs. AP Top 25 opponents. Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney are the only other active coaches with more wins over AP Top 25 teams at their current schools.
• Make it 10-4 in its past 14 games when both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25.
• Improve it to 32-24 vs. AP ranked teams since the beginning of the 2011 season.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• Spencer Sanders has thrown for 17 touchdowns against just three interceptions in his past 273 pass attempts for an interception rate of 1.1%.
• OSU has won a school-record 12 consecutive home games.
• OSU has won three of its past four road games.
• OSU has held nine of its past 18 opponents under 100 yards rushing.
• OSU has held 25 of its past 27 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average.
• OSU has won 81 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 27 of its past 37 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 30 of its past 31 games.
• OSU is 32-13 in its past 45 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 43-7 in its past 50 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• Dating back to 2005, OSU is 45-4 when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to 2008, OSU is 72-8 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won three of its past five overtime games.
• OSU has forced 35 turnovers in its past 24 games.
• Over the past 31 games, OSU has held opponents to 129-for-467 (27.6%) on third down.
