The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (4-0 overall; 1-0 Big 12) returns home this week to face Texas Tech (3-2 overall; 1-1 Big 12), with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 8, at Boone Pickens Stadium.
Sold Out
Saturday's game against Texas Tech officially sold out more than a week before kickoff. Including the UAPB, Texas Tech and Texas games, Oklahoma State has now sold out three consecutive home games, and tickets for the final two home games against Iowa State (November 12) and West Virginia (November 26) are moving quickly too. 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 Texas Tech game and the Homecoming game against Texas can visit StubHub, OSU's official third-party resale partner.
Honoring a Legend - Bob Fenimore Joins the OSU Ring of Honor
Two-time All-American Bob Fenimore will be added to the Cowboy Football Ring of Honor inside the stadium at the end of the first quarter Saturday. The greatest football player of Oklahoma State's early years and the leader of perhaps OSU's greatest team, Fenimore was the No. 1 overall selection of the 1947 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears and he excelled in all three phases of the game. His exceptional talent and play earned the "Blond Bomber" All-America honors in 1944, when he finished ninth in the Heisman vote, and in 1945, when he finished third in the Heisman vote. He was the first player from the university awarded All-America honors. A 1972 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame, Fenimore also holds membership in the OSU Athletics Hall of Honor and the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame. Now, he joins Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders as members of the Cowboy Football Ring of Honor. Fenimore led OSU to an 8-1 record with a Cotton Bowl victory in 1944 and to a perfect 9-0 record with a Sugar Bowl win in 1945 on a team that was named AFCA National Champions. Fenimore's play was legendary, and from his halfback position he established himself as one of the nation's finest players. In 1944, he led the nation in total offense (1,758 yards), was third in rushing (899), eighth in passing (997), ninth in scoring (77), and 13th in punting (37.3). In OSU's undefeated 1945 season, he was the national leader in both total offense (1,641), and rushing (1,119), while ranking seventh in punting (39.0), and 13th in scoring (72). His 18 interceptions during his OSU career remain a school record, and his 4,627 career yards of total offense record was not eclipsed until Mike Gundy came along more than 40 years later. Fenimore's jersey No. 55 is now one of four no longer in use at Oklahoma State.
On the Air
The game will be televised by FS1 with Eric Collins and Devin Gardner 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.
In the Rankings
The Oklahoma State football team was voted No. 7 in both the AP Top 25 and the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. It marks the 17th consecutive AP poll that the Cowboys have been ranked in the top 15, which matches 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 Tech is not ranked in either poll.
17 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 total of 17 consecutive sets of rankings. That streak ties the ties the school record. Here are longest streaks in school history:
Consecutive Polls in the AP Top 15
1. 17 (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 50th meeting between Oklahoma State and Texas Tech, with the series dating to 1935. The 2022 season also marks the 27th consecutive year the teams have met. The all-time series is tied at 23-23-3, but Oklahoma State has won 11 of the past 13 matchups. The Cowboys hold a 13-8 advantage in games played in Stillwater and have won eight of the past nine matchups in Stillwater. Coach Mike Gundy is 13-4 in his career against Texas Tech, while TTU coach Joey McGuire is facing OSU for the first time as a head coach.
Oklahoma State from a Distance
The Oklahoma State football team is 4-0 following a 36-25 win at then-No. 16 Baylor last week in OSU's first Big 12 game of the year. Coach Mike Gundy's team pillars of "Discipline and Toughness" (DAT for short), have continued the success of past seasons into this one, and the Cowboys have already put up some impressive numbers in all three phases. OSU has the No. 5 scoring offense in the FBS at 47.8 points per game, ranks No. 3 in the FBS with 9.2 tackles for loss per game and is No. 6 in the FBS with 31.33 yards per kickoff return. On top of that, the Cowboys are No. 4 in the FBS in fewest penalties with just 17 total so far this season. The offense has leaned on four-year starting quarterback Spencer Sanders, as the senior now ranks No. 4 in the FBS with 22.5 points responsible for per game and No. 11 in the FBS with 320.5 yards of total offense per game. The three players putting up the most all-purpose yards are wide receiver Brennan Presley (115.0), running back Dominic Richardson (99.3) and wide receiver Braydon Johnson (90.0). The trio ranks third, eighth and 11th, respectively, in all purpose yards per game among all Big 12 players and makes OSU the only Power Five team in the country with three players averaging at least 90 all-purpose yards per game. 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. 7 at 24.1%) and getting to the quarterback with a Big 12-best 3.0 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 (7.5 per game), and he now ranks No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 6 in the FBS with 1.8 tackles for loss per game. Special teams play has also made a a big impact this season. In addition to the impressive kickoff return numbers bolstered by Jaden Nixon's 98-yard touchdown last week, punter Tom Hutton has downed 11 of his 20 punts this season inside the opponent's 20-yard line and kicker Tanner Brown has made all 27 of his placekicks with a 4-for-4 mark on field goal attempts.
An Oklahoma State Win Would ...
• Make it 5-0 for the second straight season and for the sixth time in the Mike Gundy era.
• Improve its school-record home winning streak to 12 games.
• Improve its regular season conference winning streak to seven games, matching the third-longest streak in school history and the longest since the seven-game streak from Oct. 1 - Nov. 19, 2016.
• Improve its record against Texas Tech to 24-23-3 and its record against TTU in Stillwater to 14-8.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record against Texas Tech to 14-4.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 93-56.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in home games to 87-27.
• Make it 19-2 in its past 21 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season. It would mark the third time in school history that OSU has won at least 19 games in a 21-game stretch.
• Make it 153-68 in its history when playing as an AP-ranked team.
• Make it 140-39 in its history when playing as a higher AP-ranked team than its opponent.
• Make it 85-17 in its past 102 games vs. opponents outside of the AP Top 25, dating back to 2010.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• OSU has won a school-record 11 consecutive home games.
• OSU has won three consecutive road games.
• OSU has held nine of its past 16 opponents under 100 yards rushing.
• OSU has held 20 consecutive opponents under 200 yards rushing.
• OSU has held 23 of its past 25 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 26 of its past 35 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 28 of its past 29 games.
• OSU is 32-12 in its past 44 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 43-6 in its past 49 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• Dating back to 2005, OSU is 44-4 when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to 2008, OSU is 71-8 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won three of its past four overtime games.
• OSU has forced 33 turnovers in its past 22 games.
• Over the past 29 games, OSU has held opponents to 118-for-432 (27.3%) on third down.
