The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (6-3 overall; 3-3 Big 12) returns home this week to host Iowa State (4-5 overall; 1-5 Big 12) at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, November 12, in Boone Pickens Stadium.
Sold Out
Saturday's game against Iowa State officially sold out 17 days before the kickoff to mark the fourth consecutive sellout for a home Cowboy football game. Including the UAPB, Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU, Texas, Kansas State and Iowa State games, Oklahoma State has now sold out four consecutive home games for the first time since 2017 and will play in front of sell-out crowds in seven of its past eight games, regardless of location. Tickets for OSU's final home game against West Virginia (November 26) are moving quickly too, and fans are encouraged to get their tickets now to ensure availability. Tickets are available at okstate.com/tickets or by calling or texting the ticket office at 877-255-4678. Those still looking for tickets to Saturday's game against Iowa State can visit StubHub, OSU's official third-party resale partner.
On the Air
The game will be televised by ESPNU with Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison and Stormy Buonantony 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
For the first time since 2020, the Oklahoma State football team is not ranked in either the AP Top 25 or the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. The Cowboys, who are still receiving votes in both of those polls, debuted at No. 18 in the first set of College Football Playoff Rankings last week, and this week's will be unveiled Tuesday night. OSU's absence from the AP Top 25 this week ends a streak of 22 consecutive appearances in the AP poll, which ranked as the fifth-longest stretch in school history. Including 2022, OSU has 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. With OSU's inclusion in the inaugural set of CFP Rankings last week, the Cowboys have also now been part of the CFP rankings in seven of the past eight seasons. Iowa State is not ranked.
The Series
Saturday's game marks the 57th meeting between Oklahoma State and Iowa State, with the series dating back to 1926. The 2022 season also marks the 12th consecutive year the teams have met. OSU owns a 33-20-3 all-time series advantage, including an 18-7-2 advantage in Stillwater. OSU has won 10 of the past 13 matchups, as well as six of the past seven played in Stillwater. Coach Mike Gundy is 10-4 in his career against Iowa State, while ISU coach Matt Campbell is 2-4 in his career against OSU.
Oklahoma State from a Distance
Oklahoma State is 6-3 on the year and has extended its school-record streak of bowl eligibility into a 17th consecutive season. The Cowboys are not eliminated from the Big 12 Championship game but would likely need to win out and get help in other games to make a return appearance. OSU started the season with a 5-0 record and reached as high as No. 7 in the AP poll, but a double-overtime road loss at still undefeated TCU gave the Cowboys their first setback of the year. They bounced back with a come-from-behind win over then-No. 20 Texas but have now dropped each of the past two games on the road to move into a tie for fifth place in the conference standings. Several players in key starting roles have missed games due to injury or have played at less than 100 percent this season, which has been a huge factor in the past few weeks. The list of players who have missed playing time this season includes quarterback Spencer Sanders, running back Dominic Richardson, wide receivers Braydon Johnson and Jayden Bray, offensive linemen Preston Wilson, Hunter Woodard, Cole Birmingham and Joe Michalski, safeties Sean Michel Flanagan, Thomas Harper and Jason Taylor II, defensive linemen Brock Martin and Brendon Evers, punter Tom Hutton and Cowboy Back Blaine Green. All have started several games for Oklahoma State. Even with more than its fair share of injuries, the Cowboys have put together a team that ranks No. 21 in the FBS in scoring, No. 18 in passing yards, No. 7 in third down defense, No. 14 in tackles for loss and perhaps most impressively No. 2 in fewest penalties per game. The standouts in each phase of the game have been Sanders on offense, who leads the Big 12 in total offense and passing yards per game, Taylor on defense, who is a semifinalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award and ranks No. 7 in the FBS in solo tackles per game, and kicker Tanner Brown in special teams, who is one of just five FBS kickers who has attempted 16 field goals and made more than 90 percent of them.
An Oklahoma State Win Would ...
• Improve its school-record home winning streak to 14 games.
• Give it wins in eight of its past nine and in 21 of its past 25 games following a loss.
• Make it 7-3 or better for the fourth straight season and for the 13th time in the Mike Gundy era.
• Give it wins in nine of its past 12 regular season conference games.
• Give it wins in 11 of its past 14 matchups with Iowa State.
• Give it wins in seven of the past eight matchups with Iowa State in Stillwater.
• Make the Cowboys 34-20-3 all-time vs. Iowa State and 19-7-2 vs. Iowa State in Stillwater.
• Improve Mike Gundy's career record vs. Iowa State to 11-4.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 95-59.
• Improve Mike Gundy's record in home games to 89-27.
• Make it 21-5 in its past 26 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season.
• Make it 155-71 in its history when playing as an AP-ranked team.
• Make it 142-42 in its history when playing as a higher AP-ranked team than its opponent.
• Make it 86-18 in its past 104 games vs. opponents outside of the AP Top 25, dating back to 2010.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• Spencer Sanders has thrown for 19 touchdowns against just five interceptions in his past 356 pass attempts for an interception rate of 1.4%.
• OSU has won a school-record 13 consecutive home games.
• OSU has held 27 of its past 30 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 28 of its past 40 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 33 of its past 34 games.
• OSU is 33-13 in its past 46 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 73-8 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won three of its past five overtime games.
• OSU has forced 38 turnovers in its past 27 games.
• Over the past 34 games, OSU has held opponents to 143-for-513 (27.9%) on third down.
