The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (1-0 overall; 0-0 Big 12) hosts Tulsa (0-1 overall; 0-0 American) in its second game of the 2021 season on Saturday, September 11. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. at Boone Pickens Stadium.
Get Your Tickets
Season tickets, three-game bundles and single-game tickets are available at okstate.com/tickets or by calling the OSU ticket office at 877-ALL-4-OSU. Fans interested in tickets can also text the OSU ticket office at 877-255-4678. Tickets for the Tulsa game are available from the OSU ticket office for as low as $60. The game's theme of "First Responder Appreciation" will include several first responder vehicles on display at the pregame block party on Hall of Fame Avenue and will also honor the 20th Anniversary of September 11 in a display that includes a flyover before kickoff. Fans are encouraged to wear a "Sea Of Orange" for game day.
On the Air
The game will be televised by FS1 with Cory Provus 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.
In the Rankings
While the first week of rankings won't be released until Tuesday, Oklahoma State was voted No. 22 in the preseason edition of the 2021 USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. The Cowboys have been ranked in the preseason top 25 in the coaches poll in five of the past six and eight of the past 11 years. OSU has received votes in the preseason coaches poll each of the past 15 seasons. OSU also received votes in the AP Top 25, and were just one spot out of the rankings for the equivalent of No. 26. OSU has reached the top 15 of the AP poll at some point in 11 of the past 13 seasons and has seen a top 10 ranking in the AP poll at some point in nine of those 13 years. Although the first 2021 College Football Playoff rankings won't be released until November 2, it's worth noting that OSU has been part of the CFP rankings in five of the past six seasons entering 2021. Tulsa was not ranked in either preseason poll, but did receive votes in the coaches poll.
The Bank of Oklahoma Turnpike Classic
Oklahoma State and Tulsa have a series that includes 75 matchups and dates back to 1914. The only school that Oklahoma State has faced more often than TU is Oklahoma. The Cowboys have won eight straight games in the series, including a 16-7 win last season in Stillwater. OSU leads the all-time series, 43-27-5, including a 27-6-3 edge in Stillwater. OSU coach Mike Gundy holds a 5-0 record against the Golden Hurricane, while TU coach Philip Montgomery is 0-3 against the Cowboys. The schools reached an eight-year scheduling agreement in May of 2019. The two teams, separated by just 72 miles, will meet annually from 2024 until 2031, with Tulsa hosting at H.A. Chapman Stadium in even years and OSU hosting in Boone Pickens Stadium in odd years.
Oklahoma State from a Distance
Oklahoma State football has established itself as a top-tier program in the nation in recent history, becoming one of just 10 Power Five programs with more than 100 wins since 2010. The Cowboys have won 72% of their games (102-40) during that timeframe and have now extended school-record streaks of 15 consecutive bowl bids and 15 consecutive winning seasons into the next decade. That kind of foundation paved the way to another solid performance last season, and leaves reason to believe that the 2021 season can continue the upward trend of Cowboy football. OSU kicked off the 2021 season last week like it has in 15 of Mike Gundy's 17 years as head coach: 1-0. The Cowboys were without starting quarterback Spencer Sanders and several other starters, but still did what they need to do to win the season opener against Missouri State. Some individual highlights from opening night included a career-high 315 passing yards from Shane Illingworth, a career-high 15 tackles from linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez - also the most for any Cowboy since 2016 - and a 107-yard day from wide receiver Tay Martin to mark his best outing in a Cowboy uniform. As a team, the Cowboy defense continued its success in third down defense from last year, holding MSU to a 33.3% success rate to start the season. The offense started the year with three touchdowns in its first four possessions and produced 315 passing yards to rank No. 1 in the Big 12.
An Oklahoma State Win Would...
• Mark its ninth straight over Tulsa and its 13th win in the past 15 meetings with TU.
• Make it 44-27-5 all-time vs. Tulsa and 28-6-3 all-time vs. TU in Stillwater.
• Give it 23 straight wins vs. Tulsa in Stillwater, a streak that began in 1953.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record vs. teams in the American Athletic Conference to 7-2.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record vs. non-Power Five opponents to 38-4.
• Make it 17-1 in its past 18 non-conference games and 39-6 in its past 45 non-conference games.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in non-conference games to 56-12.
• Improve it to 43-18 in its past 61 games and 57-24 in its past 81 games.
• Make it 76-16 in its past 92 games vs. opponents outside of the AP Top 25, dating back to 2010.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• OSU has scored on defense in three of its past seven games.
• OSU has held 12 of its past 14 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average.
• Malcolm Rodriguez has recorded at least eight tackles in six straight games.
• OSU has won 74 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 is 27-10 in its past 37 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 32-5 in its past 37 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• Dating back to 2005, OSU is 41-3 when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to 2008, OSU is 64-8 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won three of its past four overtime games.
• OSU has forced a total of 12 turnovers in its past five games.
• OSU has had a 100-yard rusher in seven of its past 11 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50 percent third down conversion rate in 12 straight games.
