The Line of Scrimmage Was an Issue in Cowboys’ Blowout Loss to Texas Tech

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STILLWATER — This is probably the case just about any time a team gets blown out, but the Red Raiders handled the Cowboys along the line of scrimmage.

Oklahoma State lost to Texas Tech 52-27 on Saturday in Boone Pickens Stadium in a game that felt like Drew Mestemaker was picking himself off the turf after every throw he made.

“I think when you’re able to win up front, makes everything speed up in a bad way for us, right?” OSU coach Eric Morris said. “And I think that was the first time you saw us, you know, lose a bunch of one-on-one matchups up front, and you saw the result of that.”

The PFF numbers are still under review as of writing, but as things stand, the graders have Tech with 19 total pressures, three sacks, three additional QB hits and 13 quarterback hurries.

For reference, the Cowboys gave up only seven total pressures to Kansas State last week.

Saturday’s total tied with the Colorado game as the third-most pressures OSU has given up in a game this season, as OSU gave up 22 each against Tulsa and Oregon. But some of those previous games’ pressures felt more like Mestemaker hanging onto the ball until the last possible moment, while this game against Tech felt more like him having no time to throw or work through progressions.

“I think they were successfully able to stop the run with their front six and kept two-high safeties capped over the top and limit our explosive plays,” Morris said. “Got in some third-and-not-great situations, too many third-and-long situations against a really talented front like that where they were able to pin their ears back and get after us.”

On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys’ defense manage two sacks and 13 total pressures against Tech quarterbacks, but there were times it felt like Thomas Castellanos had time to iron a shirt before throwing a pass.

Per PFF (again, data under review), Mestemaker’s average time to throw was 2.78 seconds. Castellanos’ was 3.52 — nearly a full second more.

“It was tough,” Mestemaker said. “I felt like there were a few plays I worked myself into pressure just trying to make a play. It was tough. That’s a good D-line and got to learn from it.”

Lastly, the difference in push showed its face in short-yardage situations.

OSU had a first-and-goal from the Texas Tech 4-yard line at the end of the first half and went 2-yard gain, no gain, 3-yard loss before kicking a field goal.

The Cowboys were 2-for-5 on 3rd-and-4 or fewer while also failing a 4th-and-1 and a 4th-and-3. Tech was 2-for-3 on third-and-short and didn’t attempt a fourth-down try.

It some ways, it makes sense. Tech has invested heavily up front. But so has Oregon, and Saturday looked much worse than the Oregon game.