Game Preview: OSU’s Defense Returns to Where It All Started

It feels like it was the Tiger King portion of the pandemic when the Cowboys last played a game.

Oklahoma State’s three-week hiatus from action ends Saturday with a bout against No. 17 Iowa State. Here are the need-to-knows ahead of the game.

Viewing Info

Time: 2:30 p.m. Saturday
Location: Boone Pickens Stadium
TV: FOX

Offensive Stats

	Oklahoma State	Iowa State
Points Per Game	30	29.8
Total Offense	406.3	414.8
Passing Offense	193.3	235
Rushing Offense	213	179.8

Defensive Stats

	Oklahoma State	Iowa State
Points Allowed Per Game	9	27.5
Total Defense	274.3	363.5
Passing Defense	180.7	266.3
Rushing Defense	93.7	97.3

Big 12 Standings

Team	Overall Record	Conference Record
Iowa State	3-1	3-0
Kansas State	3-1	3-0
Oklahoma State	3-0	2-0
West Virginia	3-1	2-1
Baylor	1-1	1-1
Oklahoma	2-2	1-2
Texas	2-2	1-2
TCU	1-2	1-2
Texas Tech	1-3	0-3
Kansas	0-4	0-3

Where It All Started

Before the Iowa State game last season, the Cowboys’ defense was allowing 30 points a game and 432.3 yards of total offense a game. Since, OSU is allowing just 18.3 points and 350.7 yards a game.

Oklahoma State’s defense found its mojo in a 34-27 win in Ames last season. Coming off back-to-back losses to Texas Tech and Baylor where OSU gave up 45 points in each game, the Cowboys stumped a ranked Iowa State team.

Brock Purdy was forced to attempt 62 passes, the most of an Iowa State quarterback in school history. Purdy threw three fourth-quarter interceptions, the most amount of picks he has thrown in a game in his career.

“That Iowa State game, building up to it, we had confidence in ourselves, but after that Iowa State game, we knew we’re not just trying to hold people back from points but we are trying to get shutouts,” Tre Sterling said before the season started. “… It changed the mentality of the defense from holding people back so our offense can score enough points to outscore them to now we’re trying to get shutouts, and we’re trying to win this game for our team.”

In last season’s game, Kolby Harvell-Peel has six pass breakups, a school record.

It was the first time then-true freshman Trace Ford got a start. Ford is now a blossoming star for the Cowboys will All-American potential.

“I think after that first start at Iowa State, I started getting more confidence,” Ford said before the season. “I lacked confidence last year, but once I started playing more and more, I started getting more confidence and saying, ‘Hey, I’m just as good as these guys out here.'”