Oklahoma State vs. West Virginia: Preview, Prediction, and Game Odds
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s matchup between Oklahoma State and West Virginia.
GAME INFO
Saturday, October 21; 2:30 p.m. CT; Milan Puskar Stadium; Morgantown, West Virginia
TV: ESPN
Radio: Mountaineer Sports Network (Tony Caridi, Dwight Wallace, Jed Drenning); Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb, and Robert Allen
Records: West Virginia (4-2, 2-1); Oklahoma State (4-2, 2-1)
Last Week: West Virginia 39, Houston 41; Oklahoma State 39, Kansas 32
Rankings: N/A
Series History: Oklahoma State leads series, 9-5-0
Last Meeting: West Virginia 24, Oklahoma 19 (2022)
Line: West Virginia (-3.5)
Fun Fact: West Virginia’s 24-19 victory over Oklahoma State in Stillwater ended a seven-year winning streak for the Cowboys from 2015-21. This weekend, the Mountaineers are looking for just their third win over OSU in Morgantown, and the first since 2013.
KEY PLAYERS
West Virginia Mountaineers
QB Garrett Greene
West Virginia’s offense goes where Garrett Greene takes them, and he’s coming off a four-touchdown performance in a 41-39 loss to Houston last weekend. Despite the loss, it was a promising showing for the Mountaineers’ offense, with their 39 points being the most they’ve scored against an FBS opponent since their 43-40 win over Baylor last October. If Greene can have another performance like that, it would go a long way in helping WVU pick up an important win.
DB Lee Kpogba
With Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon getting into a groove (more on him in a bit), West Virginia LB Lee Kpogba will be a busy man in this game. The Mountaineers’ leading tackler, Kpogba will be extremely important to whether or not WVU will keep Oklahoma State’s offense from controlling the game. West Virginia’ rushing defense ranks 35th nationally, allowing 119.0 rushing yards per game, and that means they’ll have to play well to keep Gordon from breaking 120 yards on the ground for the fourth week in a row.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
RB Ollie Gordon
Over the last two games, Oklahoma State’s offense has found real balance and has running back Ollie Gordon to thank for that. Against Kansas and Kansas State, Gordon has 425 total yards and three total touchdowns. In those two games, Gordon averaged 6.1 yards per carry and had rushes of 42 (vs. Kansas) and 36 (vs. K-State) yards. With three straight games of 120 yards rushing or more, the Cowboys’ offense seems to have found its identity.
LB Nickolas Martin
Oklahoma State’s leader in tackles (54) and sacks (4), sophomore linebacker Nickolas Martin has been a pleasant surprise for this Cowboys’ defense. While the unit as a whole has struggled as a whole, they’ve found a way to rally in the past couple of games and make plays in key situations. Between Martin, Collin Oliver, and Kendal Daniels, this unit has playmakers emerging for the key stretch of their season.
KEY STORYLINES
West Virginia Mountaineers
Can West Virginia overcome the disappointing loss to Houston last week and regroup in a must-win game? Both teams are 2-1 in Big 12 play coming into this game, and getting to 3-1 will solidify them as one of the top contenders to make the Big 12 Championship. The Mountaineers have looked much better this season than anyone expected, and getting back to playing their style of ball will be important in this one.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
After a two-game home stand as underdogs, Oklahoma State will hit the road and head to Morgantown to try and get a key victory. However, the last time they played outside of Stillwater, they allowed a season-high 34 points to Iowa State in a one-possession loss. The Cowboys’ defense has forced key turnovers in each of the past two weeks, but playing in front of a hostile crowd will be different, and much more challenging.
PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 24, West Virginia 23
This game is incredibly difficult to pick, but what we’ve seen from Oklahoma State over the last two weekends has been impressive. Going to Morgantown can be difficult, and both teams realize just how important this game is for each of their seasons. In a coin toss, I’m going with the better coach and the more consistent offense and both of those advantages lie with the road team.
