Grades: Bye Week Report Card for Oklahoma State

Sometimes poor test scores aren’t a reflection of the teacher. Sometimes it doesn’t matter the lesson plan a master teacher devises, those students just aren’t going to get it. But Mike Gundy and his staff are essentially working with a gifted and talent class — a Doak Walker-winning running back, the most experienced offensive line in college football history, a receiving corps that features three players on the Biletnikoff Award watch list.

Yet, through six games at the bye week, Oklahoma State is 3-3 on a three-game losing streak and still in search of its first Big 12 win. Acing this season is no longer possible. Now, the Cowboys are just trying to pass and score enough points (literally) to be able to move on to next year.

After six tests and half the season still left, here’s OSU’s report card at the bye week.

Offense: D

Before you scream for an F, remember, this is a look at the first six games as a whole, not just the last three. The Cowboys averaged almost 43 points a game through the first three weeks, albeit that included an FCS team and really bad Tulsa. That number has dipped to 30.17 after averaging just under 18 points in the last three losses.

Regardless, the Cowboys still couldn’t run the ball those first three games either. OSU hasn’t had more than 150 rushing yards in a game yet this season, averaging 91.2, which is ranked 121st of 133 in the country. The Cowboys are still in the top 100 in total offense at 71st, but credit that to the nonconference slate. And even 71st isn’t passing by OSU standards.

And somehow, just seeing these numbers on a report card would still be better than actually going and observing how things are going on the field. Starting quarterback Alan Bowman has been benched in two of the last three games while throwing a pair of interceptions in three games in a row, stirring up a QB controversy. Star running back Ollie Gordon has seemed to be running in sand. He also got hurt last game and didn’t return. The play calling had fans booing at Boone Pickens Stadium before the first drive was even over against West Virginia, starting the game with six straight runs up the middle.

Defense: F

The Cowboys haven’t succeeded in stopping an opposing offense yet. The closest they got was holding Utah to 22 points in a loss. But the Utes had a freshman making his second career start at QB and still put up 456 total yards. OSU did hold Tulsa to 10 points, but the Golden Hurricane is averaging only 24.33 points a game, and that number is inflated after tallying 62 against FCS Northwestern State, which is 0-6, in the season opener.

Through six weeks, OSU is giving up 493.5 yards a game. That’s fourth-worst in the entire country. It is the absolute worst among Power Four schools, beating out only New Mexico, Ball State and Kent State, which have a combined record of 2-13. A lot of those yards can be attributed to OSU’s poor rushing defense, where it ranks 128th while giving up 235 rushing yards a game. Purdue is the only other Power Four program with a statistically worst rushing defense.

Special Teams: B-

OSU has been solid on special teams. Nothing more, nothing less. Logan Ward has made 10 0f 13 field goal attempts (76.9%) with a long of 52. He’s also perfect on PATs. OSU’s two punters are averaging 42.79 yards a punt. Return men haven’t been spectacular but have breathed life into OSU at times, including when Cale Cabbiness returned a kickoff 51 yards last week against West Virginia.

But when special teams earns the best grade through six weeks, that makes for a failing season overall so far.