Daily Bullets (Sept 12) – Keys to Beating Boise, Where Would Boise Rank in the Big 12?

Three Keys to Victory

From some comments Mike Gundy made in a recent press conference, one can derive a few key points in determining the Cowboys’ chances of victory this weekend.

“Other than that, we play a good team this week. I don’t think I need to say a lot about Boise State. They’re very well-coached and play very sound football. They have very good players and are traditionally a top-20 team. This is, in my opinion, a very good year for them.

They’ve got a lot of players back, the quarterback is experienced, mature and they’re top 10 or so offensively and probably top 10 defensively, or at least really high. Hopefully we can play the very best that we can and we’re going to need to play at a high level in order for us to give ourselves a chance to win. We’re a healthy team and we’re getting a little better each week.

Our run blocking is below average and it has to improve. Taylor Cornelius got a lot better and threw the ball around pretty well. Our defense was in the right spot most of the time. I think they’re defending well. Both sides of the ball and special teams are going to be challenging areas for us. They have a very active returner, so this will be a good matchup and should be a lot of fun, but we need to have a great week.” [GoPokes]

That covers all three phases of the game, right? Knowles’ defense needs to come out dealing – throwing seven different kinds of smoke at Brett Rypien, finding a way to fluster the vet. Play some keep-away from the vet by running it all over the field and minimizing the special teams’ mistakes and you’ve got a good shot at a top 25 win.

Scaling the Competition

Bobby A. made some comments about how Boise State ranks in the Big 12 and while time will tell, I think he’s right.

So, is Boise State the best team Oklahoma State will face this season? They could be. I think they are better right now than everybody in the Big 12 except TCU, West Virginia, and OU. We will find out more about TCU this Saturday when they play Ohio State. West Virginia will be more of a known as well as they travel to play N.C. State in a true road game. Oklahoma looks good, but we will have to wait a little longer. [GoPokes]

OSU and NCAA Notes

Boise State is set to get a couple of starters making their 2018 debut this week….Rambling Northwestern coach says RPO’s are communist….Hawai’i has found success adding a new wrinkle to the spread offense….Minor update on how the backup quarterbacks are progressing

Facts but an interesting thing to post before playing the toast of the G5.

There's one Power Five team in the country that ranks in the top 10 in total offense and total defense: #okstate pic.twitter.com/7jbgwpUpSD

— Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) September 11, 2018

I want stadium-opening against Georgia fireworks shooting off – this could be OSU-Texas Tech-level points scored.

Boise and Oklahoma State 2 of only 7 FBS schools averaging more than 600 yards per game: “I would think there will be a lot of points scored."

— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) September 10, 2018

After two weeks, #OKState leads the nation in total offense.

Fourth? Next week’s opponent, Boise State. pic.twitter.com/6KYM2ukhzu

— Mark Cooper (@mark_cooperjr) September 9, 2018

I know OSU opened with a… soft schedule but that number has some kick to it.

Top Yardage Differential (per game):

+437.5 Oklahoma State
+387 Ohio State
+344.5 Ole Miss
+331 Boise State
+327 Utah
+320 Memphis
+317 Missouri
+314.5 Boston College
+311.5 Wash State

— Pick Six Previews (@PickSixPreviews) September 11, 2018

Yesterday on PFB

• Le’Bryan Nash is headed back to Japan
• Check out a solid NFL comp for Cowboy QB Dru Brown
• What we’ve learned about OSU through two games
• See what’s cracking in the latest Social Media Roundup
• Why James Washington was MIA in the Steelers’ opener

Stuff I’m Reading

• Great Thunder season preview here from Jon Hamm
• Newport distinguishes between habits and workflows
• Surviving 9/11
• Aaron Rodgers painted a masterpiece in a comeback over the Bears

Every Owen Wilson “Wow” since 1996 (pulled from this Kottke piece). I just love that guy.