Storylines to Keep an Eye On for WVU-Oklahoma State in Pivotal Big 12 Matchup

Saturday’s game between WVU and Oklahoma State pits two teams in desperate need of a win against each other in one of the top college football environments in the country. Despite coming off a bye week and an opportunity to reset while OSU lost for the second straight week, oddsmakers are expecting the Mountaineers to lose to the Cowboys.

But since oddsmakers don’t play the game and both teams have displayed vulnerabilities so far this season, what are some of the key storylines to keep an eye on for West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State?

WVU vs. Oklahoma State Will Come Down to Ollie Gordon Again

Even though it’s tough to say any matchup will come down to just one aspect of the game, but it’s very possible that’s the case when WVU meets Oklahoma State in Stillwater on Saturday. If West Virginia can claim the upset and win on the road, will come down to if they can stop OSU running back Ollie Gordon.

Saying Gordon ran all over the Mountaineers last season in the Cowboys’ 48-34 win would be an understatement. He rushed for 282 yards, with 141 coming in the fourth quarter alone, and scored four touchdowns in one of his best performances of his entire career. The win rebooted a struggling Oklahoma State team and sent them on a path that would reach the Big 12 Championship Game. Overall in 2023, Gordon totaled 1,732 yards with an average of 6.1 yards per carry and scored 21 touchdowns.

Asti: WVU vs. Oklahoma State Will Come Down to Ollie Gordon Again

West Virginia is also better equipped to contain Gordon this season. WVU has more talent and depth at linebacker and T.J. Jackson’s emergence has helped the defensive line generate a pass rush.

So even though Gordon is due for a big game, this matchup could be decided in the first quarter. If the Mountaineers can get up early, OSU will once again be forced to lean on the pass and away from their best player. But if the Cowboys can build an advantage, they will then turn to Gordon to pound the rock and churn the clock.

What Does Neal Brown Expect From Oklahoma State?

No matter what their opponent has endured, WVU head coach Neal Brown knows his team can’t underestimate anyone. Brown made that very clear while previewing West Virginia’s matchup with Oklahoma State on Monday.

The Cowboys might be coming off back-to-back losses, but Brown knows Oklahoma State has tons of talent and Stillwater is always a tough place to play.

“They’ve dealt with adversity before. They’ve come back. We fully expect to get their best,” said Brown, who also admitted he’d probably rather OSU be riding high than in desperation mode with an 0-2 conference record.

Brown pointed to Oklahoma State’s schedule being a factor in their rough start to conference play. The Cowboys’ losses have been to preseason favorite Utah and perennial contender Kansas State, making it possible they will still beat weaker competition and dig themselves out similar to what happened last season.

Brown even called OSU running back Ollie Gordon a “special” player and said he fully expects him to be at his best despite failing to reach 100 yards in a game yet this season.

“He’s going to have breakout games. I just hope it’s not against us.”

WVU Expecting Recently Injured Players to Play with One Possible Exception

West Virginia will be back to as full strength as possible this week at Oklahoma State. Brown said he expects most of the players who went down during the Kansas game, including Aubrey Burks, to play against the Cowboys.

Defensive back TJ Crandall remains the only player Brown is concerned could miss the game. Expecting Burks to return is the most surprising just for the odd nature of what happened to him. Burks collapsed on the sideline in the middle of the game, causing many to wonder if it had anything to do with the injury he sustained in 2023 against TCU.

Oklahoma State HC Mike Gundy Details His Opinion of Garrett Greene

It’s no secret the WVU offense will only go as far as Garrett Greene takes it each week. Every opposing coach knows that, and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy is no different.

Gundy went into detail about what he expects from Greene on Saturday during his weekly press conference on Monday.

“You got to stop their quarterback. He’s a good runner. Very similar to what we saw last week. Coach Brown has done a good job with them. They’ve been in their games,” said Gundy. “Every game they’ve played they’ve been very competitive in it. Penn State took them over later, but not really. It was a very competitive game. Same coordinators, same defensive structure. Neal’s offense is the same as what it’s been. This quarterback that’s there has been there for I don’t know how many years. I think he played against (Mason) Rudolph. It’s been forever. He’s still there.”

For a related story, WV Sports Now’s Mike Asti and Ethan Bock discuss what they expect from the WVU-Oklahoma State matchup on an episode of Mountaineer Report.

Also, find out where West Virginia ranks statistically so far in the Big 12.