As we will do throughout this football season, HawgBeat went behind enemy lines to gain insight on the No. 16 Oklahoma State Cowboys from OStateIllustrated Publisher Jeff Johnson.
Led by head coach Mike Gundy, the Cowboys finished the 2023 season with a 10-4 (7-2 Big 12) overall record with wins over Kansas State, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M (Texas Bowl).
Last week, Oklahoma State defeated former 2023 FCS National Champion South Dakota State 44-20. Seventh-year quarterback Alan Bowman completed 24-of-33 throws for 245 yards and two touchdowns, while All-American running back Ollie Gordon II added 126 yards and three scores on 28 attempts.
Arkansas has the odds stacked against itheading into this pivotal road tilt, as the Cowboys boast an impressive home record since 2020 (24 wins) and the self-proclaimed "tightest sidelines in all of football."
Here is what Johnson had to say about Saturday's matchup, which is set to kick off at 11:00 a.m. CT at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma...
Everybody knows Ollie Gordon II, but how do you assess Alan Bowman and the rest of Oklahoma State's skill positions?
Johnson: "Bowman has progressed from the end of last season. He had a couple of bad habits last year. Namely, he had a strong tendency to not set his feet and make back-foot throws and would often just throw balls away if his first read or two were covered. Last Saturday, he hung in the pocket much better. The footwork was improved, though there's still room for improvement.
"He has a plethora of options to throw to. I don't think it's hyperbole to say that OSU's three starting wideouts could be No. 1 receivers for many other programs. To wit, D'Zhaun Stribling and Rashod Owens both topped 80 yards in the opener, while Brennan Presley had seven catches. Owens and Presley both scored. Oklahoma transfer Gavin Freeman got his feet wet as a Cowboy and is very similar to Presley."
Coach Gundy said Monday that his team has "plenty of ways" to take dual-threat QBs into account defensively. What are those ways and who will have the responsibility of keeping Taylen Green in check?
Johnson: "Last week, linebacker Jeff Roberson served as a spy on South Dakota State QB Mark Gronowski and was effective. Additionally, former safety Kendal Daniels has primarily spun down to an outside 'backer spot and safety Trey Rucker (15 tackles vs SDSU) is excellent in run support."
Is there any concern about Oklahoma State's offensive line in the run game after the Cowboys averaged just 3.8 YPA against SDSU?
Johnson: "OSU's offensive line has been a concern yearly for a lot of years now. This group, however, is extremely experienced and is the same unit that sprung Gordon for nearly 2,000 yards last year. The Jackrabbits clearly keyed on making someone other than Gordon beat them, but he still went for 130+. There is certainly room for improvement, but no major concern at this point."
Oklahoma State allowed 264 passing yards to SDSU, is the secondary a unit Arkansas can exploit?
Johnson: "It really came down to an individual busted coverage plus one series that saw a couple of busts. The one play (60 yard TD) and three-play drive accounted for more than half (135 yards) of that total.
"The Cowboys defense shored up following the 60-yarder for the rest of the game. That being said, busted coverages were the Achilles' Heel for Byran Nardo's first defense at OSU last year, so it's a concern and potential area for Arkansas to exploit."
Collin Clay is a former Razorback, what are the expectations for him this season and how does he match up against Arkansas' new-look offensive line?
Johnson: "Clay has beefed up considerably since his time as a Hog, as he currently carries 330 pounds on his 6-3 frame. He pairs up with 6-3, 345 Justin Kirkland as OSU's starting nose tackles (OSU usually runs one NT, but sometimes two). Kirkland isn't just a big guy - he's self-reported a bench max of 608 pounds and says he can do the NFL Combine standard 225 lbs for 51 reps. OSU rotates pretty frequently and Aden Kelley (6-3, 315) will see snaps.
"On the edge, Iman Oates (6-3, 305) and Kody Walterschied (6-7, 275) are the starters at end. Pash rush extraordinaire Collin Oliver is now technically a linebacker, but will give a DE look to the offense fairly frequently."
Any notable injuries or interesting depth chart battles to keep an eye on for Oklahoma State against Arkansas?
Johnson: "Gundy is notoriously tight with injury information, but from all appearances, OSU came out of the opener in very good health. With the ridiculous amount of returning starters the Cowboys have this year, position battles just haven't been a thing thus far in 2024."
How do you see this game playing out and what's your score prediction?
Johnson: "I see a hard-fought game where OSU's veteran players and home-field advantage work in their favor for a win."
Prediction: Oklahoma State 27-21
