Here is everything you need to know about the Cowboys game on Friday night in our Oklahoma State vs. South Alabama preview.
Broadcast info
Date: Friday,September 8th 2017 | 7:00 pm CT | Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama
TV: ESPN 2 (Adam Amin, Dusty Dvoracek, and Molly McGrath)
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, Dave Holcomb, and Robert Allen)
Satellite Radio: Sirius (83), XM (83)
Internet Radio: https://okla.st/osutunein
Key Players
Oklahoma State
DEs Villi Leveni and Cole Walterscheid: The Cowboy defensive line played well against the run last week but pressure on the quarterback is essential for competing in the Big 12. Possibly because of a less aggressive attack against a fast paced spread offense with a mobile passer, the defensive line as a group didn’t get a single sack week one. That should change against an outmatched opponent. Glenn Spencer will need to get his guys going before the completion steps up next week.
WR Jalen McCleskey: The junior led the team in receptions last year but only had one catch for -2 yards against Tulsa, and made the biggest mistake of the game by trying to field a bouncing punt inside the 5 that he fumbled into the end zone for a Hurricane touchdown. Look for him to have a bounce back game this week underneath and in the slot as the Jaguars attempt to slow down OSU’s big time outside receivers.
South Alabama
RB Tra Minter: At 5-9, 185lbs Minter isn’t a large running back but he’s quick and fast. Oh, and he averaged 6.9 yards a carry against Ole Miss last week. Coming out of Garden City, Kansas Minter was rated one of the top junior-college prospects for 2018 but decided he was ready for a step up in competition this year. It’s really a win-win situation: he should be an absolute star for the Jags and they get a back that would’ve likely been on a Power 5 team next year.
QB Cole Garvin: A junior this season, Garvin made his Jaguar debut as a sophomore, starting in place of injured starter Dallas Davis for the game against 19th ranked San Diego State. That night he led his team to a 42-24 upset victory. He’s a steady passer who rarely makes mistakes and beats a defense with efficiency. If he can keep the chains moving and OSU’s offense on the sideline he’ll give his team a shot to pull another stunning upset.
Key Storylines
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Can the Cowboys avoid another trip up? Oklahoma State’s record in Friday night games under Gundy makes people nervous for games like this one. The memories of the Troy and especially the Iowa State loss are fresh in the minds of the fans. Add in frustrating losses to Houston and Central Michigan at home as a ranked team and there’s a trend present. South Alabama isn’t the pushover athletic director Mike Holder thought they were we he scheduled the game. Can The Mullet keep his team focused in a classic trap game?
South Alabama Jaguars
USA is slowly making a name for itself being a team you don’t want to play. Last season the Jags beat Mississippi State in Starkville, and beat San Diego State for the first win over a ranked opponent in school history. They started this season by playing Ole Miss tough in Oxford last week, only trailing by 3 at the half before an eventual 47-27 loss. Can they make another statement? They hope to surprise the Cowboys in what should be a tougher game than many folks in orange expect it to be.
Prediction
Oklahoma State 45, South Alabama 17
South Alabama gave up 429 yards, 4 touchdowns and an 80% completion percentage to Ole Miss quarterback Shea Patterson last week. A.J. Brown had 233 receiving yards on just 8 catches. Mason Rudolph and James Washington must be salivating right now! While Gundy does have a history of slip ups in games like this they don’t happen in back to back seasons. The Jaguars will keep the score lower that expected by controlling the clock and keeping the OSU offense on the bench. It will be closer than the Oklahoma State fans want for a while but South Alabama doesn’t have the talent, especially in the secondary, to slow the Cowboy offense down when they are on the field.
