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Numbers to Know: Gundy Goes For Sixth Win Over Top 10 Team

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On Saturday, Oklahoma State has a chance to bag its first signature win of the 2016 season, when undefeated West Virginia visits Stillwater for Homecoming weekend. There will be no love lost as the 10th-ranked Mountaineers are lead by former OSU offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, who returns to Stillwater along with former Cowboy offensive line coach Joe Wickline.

If you recall, Wickline and Oklahoma State had a nasty lawsuit in 2014 over $593,000 and much bickering over the play-calling aspect of his job. Don’t think that either side has forgotten that. Oh, then this happened this week.

They really waited until the week before West Virginia to offer Wickline’s son a scholarship! Coincidence? I think not. So what else could we want? An undefeated, top-10 team is coming to town for Homecoming, with two ex-OSU coaches and former Gundy disciples on the other side and a whole lot of history.

For Oklahoma State, it is also a very important game and an opportunity to jump back into the top 25 and firmly assert themselves as a Big 12 title contender. Let’s dig into the numbers to know for West Virginia.

Both Teams light up the scoreboard

It won’t quite be OU-Texas Tech from last weekend, but the Cowboys and Mountaineers are going to put up huge points on Saturday. West Virginia, unsurprisingly, comes into the game ranked No. 10 in the nation in offensive yards per game, averaging 510 yards/game. Senior QB Skyler Howard is a big time playmaker, and comes into the tilt against the Pokes with 15 total touchdowns, 1,821 passing yards, 200 rushing yards, and just four interceptions in six games.

Howard is not a pure pocket passer, but the Mountaineers like to get him on the move. The Cowboys’ front seven will need to apply pressure and keep both eyes on Howard at all times, or they’ll be in big trouble on Saturday. The over/under is set at 65. OSU is No. 14 in points per game. WVU is No. 44. They average 74 combined. Give me the over.

Holgorsen-Gundy are deadlocked

Since 2012, Dana Holgorsen and Mike Gundy are tied 2-2 in head to head matchups, and this will one will mean even more with Joe Wickline on WV’s staff this year, coming over from Texas. Oklahoma State went into Morgantown undefeated last year and won, 33-26.

This year it’s the Mountaineers who are unbeaten, and the Cowboys are feeling a little disrespected. At 5-2 (6-1), OSU is flying under the radar and comes into the game as a four-point dog at home.

A win Saturday would put Mike Gundy in rare company

Kyle P. wrote about this earlier in the week, but Gundy is going for his 100th win at OSU this week- take a look at the list of current coaches that have 100+ wins at their school.

  • 198 – Bill Snyder, Kansas State (25th year)
  • 184 – Bob Stoops, Oklahoma (18th year)
  • 147 – Gary Patterson, TCU (16th year)
  • 132 – Kirk Ferentz, Iowa (18th year)
  • 113 – Nick Saban, Alabama (10th year)
  • 102 – Kyle Whittingham, Utah (12th year)
  • 99 – Mike Gundy (12th year)

That’s crazy, you guys. Gundy is in an exclusive class when it comes to coaches that win year after year at the same school. A win over two former assistants and their top-10 squad on Saturday would be just another notch in the belt of the best coach in Oklahoma State’s history.

It’d also be the sixth (!) win over a top 10 team for Gundy since 2008, and the 19th time he’s beaten a ranked team since he came to Stillwater. Mike Gundy is already coaching greatness, but a win Saturday puts him in rare air.

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