Iowa State Presents Another Challenge in the Red Zone for Oklahoma State

The Cowboys are on the home stretch with just three games remaining of the regular season. We’ve seen an offense that’s been mostly great this year but that has struggled to score in the red zone at times and a defense that bends, but doesn’t break (most of the time).

So let’s update our weekly PPR numbers (points per red-zone attempt) and see how the Cowboys rank among Big 12 teams and how this week’s foe Iowa State compares.

Here may be the biggest weakness of OSU’s otherwise historic offense. At this point in the season, 5.08 offensive points per red-zone attempt is avurj. The Cowboys have also been to the red zone more than any other Big 12 team (52 times). Oklahoma is second at 47 but as you can see, much more effective at getting points.

The Cyclones ,who welcome the Cowboys this Saturday, are third in the Big 12 with a PPR of 5.27 and scores a touchdown on 64.8 percent of those red-zone trips.

The Cyclones rank last in team rushing offense in the Big 12 but they have running back David Montgomery who is second to only Justice Hill among Big 12 rushers. Inside the red zone, Montgomery has rushed eight times and all eight have ended in the end zone.

On defense the Cowboys have been pretty good at limiting offenses in the red zone, a staple of that “bend, don’t break” defensive philosophy that is somewhat dictated by the Big 12 competition.

The Cowboys have been pretty good at limiting teams to 3 points instead of 7 once passing the 20-yard line. It’s also important to note that they have defended the fourth-most red-zone possession but still rank in the top four in efficiency.

Iowas State is right behind the Cowboys giving up 4.7 PPR and joins TCU as the only two Big 12 teams in the top half of the league in both offensive and defensive PPR. The Cyclone defense just held top-rated West Virginia to 3.25 PPR and held TCU scoreless in two red-zone attempts the week prior.

How about TCU only giving up seven touchdowns in its red zone through nine games? Gary Patterson’s defense has been great all year (again) and is third nationally in score percentage in the red zone and TD percentage in the red zone. It will be tested this Saturday in Norman.

Red-zone efficiency, which I believe is best gauged by this stat, is one of several important factors to a game, along with points per drive and turnover margin. It’s by focusing on these three things that Glenn Spencer has been able to field marginally good to really good defenses over his tenure against elite offensive competition.