Red-Zone Efficiency Is Crucial for OSU against K-State

All season we’ve kept you abreast of a stat I call PPR or points per red-zone attempt. It quantifies a team’s success at not only scoring inside the red zone but values getting 7 instead of 3. And vice versa on red-zone defenses.

Through 10 games, we have a pretty good picture for how efficient each Big 12 team’s red-zone offense and defense are.

Let’s take a look at this week’s numbers for the Cowboys and their opponent, Kansas State.

Offensive PPR

Oklahoma State, easily one of the top two offenses in the conference country has struggled in the score zone. OSU leads the nation with 58 red-zone attempts and is second in red-zone scores. But settling for and missing several field goals hurts the Cowboys’ efficiency. OSU is 12 of 17 (70.6 percent) on red-zone kicks.

The Cowboys were really good inside the 20 in Ames, scoring on all six red-zone trips with five being TDs with a made 2-point conversion. That adds up to a 6.5 PPR, 7.0 would be perfect.

The PPR numbers have escalated as the season has gone on which jives with the conventional thinking that defenses trend downward later in the year.

Defensive PPR

Kansas State has been good at limiting offenses in their own red zone and we’ve seen games in this series come down to the wire as of late. Can OSU make the plays inside the 20? Will it matter?

Kansas State is not having the year that they wanted or that many expected and lot has to do with a slew of QB injuries. But OSU fans know all too well what a backup quarterback can do to OSU’s defense.

These games normally come down to the wire and in close games you need to take advantage of your opportunities, especially in the score zone.