Daily Bullets (Sept. 21): We’ll Cross Utah’s Goal and Then We’ll Sing ‘Oklahoma State’

Go Pokes, beat the Utes. 

Three Thoughts

• ESPN’s preview of the game nailed two aspects that will be defining: Utah’s slightly better ability to stop explosive plays and OSU’s ability to win close games. 

This could be another OSU game decided by explosive plays. The Cowboys thrive in chaos — they’re 21-10 in one-score finishes since the start of 2019 — but Utah has the more proven and slightly less glitchy defense.

[ESPN]

• Being the least sacked QB per pass attempt in Division 1 is incredible – just think about the concept of teams stacking the box to stop Ollie Gordon and not getting to the quarterback makes it all the more impressive (X)

• I’d like to know if OSU’s struggle to get the run game going results more from… 

a. the offense playing with what the defense gives them (per Mike Gundy) or

b. execution struggles on the offensive line (per Joe Michalski)

“We know what we’re doing,” Michalski said. “We know what mistakes we’re making. We just gotta eliminate them. It’s just all about execution more than anything and practice will pop it and that sort of thing. It just comes down to execution and mental focus.

[PFB]

Two Quotes

• What a title for today’s game. 

Behold, Saturday’s most-seasoned game. Utah-OSU will pit two 20th-year coaches (Kyle Whittingham and Mike Gundy) and two seventh-year quarterbacks (Cam Rising vs. Alan Bowman) against each other.

[ESPN]

• Gosh this may be the most hyped Big 12 game of the year, so much fun: 

Utes. Cowboys.

It’s a Top-15 Showdown Saturday.@Utah_Football | @CowboyFB pic.twitter.com/lg18BaGZk3

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 19, 2024

One Question

• Do you think the rest of the (old) Big 12 is pulling for OSU to beat Utah today? 

Non-OSU Bullets

• How Hartenstein and Caruso impact the Thunder offense

• Impossibly, gradually, miraculously changed (faith-based)

Top shelf dad joke/OSU joke from Justin Southwell here: 

Friends in Low Places 4th Quarter Singalong brought to you by Bank of Oklahoma:
‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places
Where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away
And I’ll #BOK

— Southwell (@JustinSouthwell) September 20, 2024