By the Numbers: OSU, Despite Turnovers, Beat West Virginia by Riding its Defense

Oklahoma State put together one of the most erroneous 50-point games in its history Saturday, but the Cowboy defense forced even more miscues.

OSU finished with four turnovers to West Virginia’s five in the 50-39 road victory, and for the second straight weekend, though the score probably didn’t show it, the defense outplayed the so-called “No. 1 offense in the nation.” Here are some stats to back that up.

OSU Drive Chart

There is a lot more red on the results column than any Cowboy fan, player or coach should have to sit through, but OSU put together some masterful drives.

Tallying the Cowboys’ top three drives, they combined for 36 plays, 182 yards and 14:24 on the ball. That’s almost an entire quarter on three drives. If not for the back-to-back fumbles to start the game, the Cowboys likely could have put up 60 on that West Virginia defense.

OSU will absolutely have to clean up those turnovers to have a shot against Oklahoma on Saturday. As shady as the Sooners’ defense may seem, giving the ball away four times will end in a loss every time, especially against an offense that rivals the Cowboys’.

OSU’s Pertinent Stats

• Points per drive (offense): 2.63
• Points per drive (defense): 1.56 (excluding the blocked punt and pick six)
• Yards per play: 5.1
• Third-down conversions: 8/18 (44 percent)
• Average starting field position: own 42-yard line
• Red-zone scoring: 8/8 (all 50 points)
• Points off turnovers: 27 (!!!)
• Time of possession: 37:09

So many of those stats jump off the screen.

OSU’s average start per drive was 8 yards away from the 50. As woeful as the special teams were, the red zone was fixed and then some, going a perfect 8-for-8 inside the 20 and scoring every point that showed up on the scoreboard. And 27 points off turnovers is astounding, even for an opportunistic Cowboy team.

That OSU defense is starting to look like it’s full of dudes, not guys. A.J. Green had the game of his career. Cole Walterscheid had the game of his career. Ramon Richards played so well that Tre Flowers wasn’t even mentioned … against West Virginia!

If the defense plays like it has now in Austin and Morgantown, the Cowboys will take Bedlam, as long as that turnover number stays down.

WVU Drive Chart

This is plain ruthless.

Dana’s men didn’t score their second offensive touchdown until there was eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. If OSU was cleaner with the ball, it would have beaten a top 25 team on the road 50-24.

There just wasn’t a lot to nitpick this week. The nation’s leader in touchdown catches was held to three catches for 44 yards and no scores. Mountaineers quarterback Will Grier was held under 300 yards after Gundy called him the best passer the Cowboys have faced this season. And the WVU rushers were held to 2.1 yards per carry on 30 carries.

That’s about as good as you will find in the Big 12.

WVU’s Pertinent Numbers

• Points per drive (offense): 1.56
• Points per drive (defense): 2.63
• Yards per play: 4.8
• Third-down conversions: 2/15 (13 percent)
• Average starting field position: own 36-yard line
• Red-zone scoring: 3/3
• Points off turnovers: 7
• Time of possession: 22:51

The ‘Neers had a worse third-down conversion rate than Texas did last week.

Even with an extremely favorable average starting field position, the Cowboy defense forced five three-and-outs. OSU skated by, allowing only seven points off of four turnovers, which just blows my mind.

As is the theme in this post, the defense was ‘ight.

If we had OU on our jerseys everyone would be talking about this defense. Thats a fact

— Tyler Ferguson (@Fergensteiin) October 28, 2017

Actually, it was spooky good. Happy Halloween, monsters.

Ramon Richards wore his costume to postgame interviews pic.twitter.com/MIVey907s5

— Mark Cooper (@mark_cooperjr) October 28, 2017