OSU’s Defense Was Good Enough to Win the Big 12 on Saturday

Boise State stepped onto Lewis Field boasting the fifth-best scoring offense in the nation (59 points per game) and the fourth-highest total yards after lapping the field eight times in an 818-yard beat down of Connecticut.

But a revamped and untested Cowboy defense had no intention of allowing another gaudy box score.

It started in the backfield, or at least that’s where it ended, on most plays. Boise State’s biggest advantage coming in was the mismatch of experience and talent at the quarterback position with the nation’s active leading passer in Brett Rypien.

The fourth-year starter did enough to continue to distance himself with 380 yards on a 39-of-56 showing, but he had to do so against constant pressure.

“When you can get seven sacks against a team that knows what they’re doing on offense, you’re going to have success,” said Mike Gundy after the game.

The Cowboys dialed up numerous and sundry blitzes against the Broncos offensive line which looked outmatched and searching for answers for good portions of the game.

“Seven sacks is a bold picture, it’s a big dream,” said Jim Knowles. “I knew we’d have some tools in our chest to play aggressive and create havoc.”

Brailford was dominant

Redshirt senior Jordan Brailford played with all of the precision and destruction of a razor-sharp wrecking ball.

He lined up all over the field from defensive end, to middle linebacker to outside backer. But no matter where he started, he seemingly got to the QB at will. Brailford led the Cowboys with three sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and two force fumbles (all career highs). Here Brailford is part of a three-man rush — where all three ended up getting to Rypien — but he blew through two blockers to get there.

“You got a guy that’s big, strong, athletic and can run,” said Knowles of Brailford. “He looks like a grown man and plays with the agility of a linebacker.”

Grounding the Broncos’ Ground Game

Knowles’ group did what good defenses do, it took away what its opponent wanted to do most. With Boise State’s offense (like essentially all offenses) everything starts on the ground. But the team that rushed for 400 yards and four scores on nearly 9 yards per carry a week ago, netted all of 34 yards on a measly 1.1 average.

“It was a really good effort by our defense—gave up one yard per carry against a team that’s had tremendous success running the football,” said Gundy.

And that is largely due to Knowles scheme – giving Boise’s offensive front multiple looks and letting playmakers make plays. Knowles used the tools in his chest to wreak havoc.

“More pressure, more speed,” said Boise State coach Brian Harsin of OSU’s defensive line. “I thought for the most part we protected decent, because the pocket seemed to build itself how we wanted it to.

“But what we didn’t do is run the ball. We were giving up too much penetration. You saw where we handed the ball off and there was a guy three or four yards deep in the backfield. That can’t happen.”

OSU held Boise State to 4.8 yards per play, 11 of 22 on third downs, forced four fumbles and successfully protected its end zone on two of three tries. And it held the Broncos to season lows in just about every category the box score mentions. Most importantly, it forced its will upon a dynamic opponent.

It is only one game and we’re still just halfway through September but we can no longer say this defense hasn’t been tested. It has been, and it’s carrying an A average through the first quarter of the season.

OSU took on a top five offensive unit and left it searching for answers most of the afternoon. I’m still not sure how good this team is on the whole, for all I know the Cowboys will get torched for 600 yards against Texas Tech next week. But on Saturday against a prolific Boise team, as an underdog at home, it set the tone for a signature win.

Show me a performance like that more times than not over the next nine games, and there’s no reason Oklahoma State can’t be playing for something special come November.

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