Seven Things to Know Ahead of Oklahoma State’s Last Non-Conference Game at Tulsa

It feels like the season just started (because it did), but Oklahoma State is already at the end of the non-conference portion of their schedule. The Pokes head to Tulsa on Saturday at 2:30 to play the Golden Hurricane, and I’ve scoured the game notes for seven things you need to know about this matchup.

1. Under 300: Tulsa gained just 80 yards in their first game. OSU is 29-1 when holding opponents under 300 yards. The one loss? Texas in 2009 when the Horns put up 275 yards in Stillwater and still won 41-14. OSU could muster just 277 yards (134 through the air and 143 on the ground). My mind, mercifully, erased that game.

2. The 40-Point Club: This won’t come as a shock, but OSU is one of just four teams that has scored 40+ points per game since 2010. Oregon is first at 43.1. OSU is second at 41.3. OU is third at 40.6. Baylor rounds it out at 40.2.

3. The 50-Point Club: Four teams (OSU, Baylor, Washington State and Maryland) have scored 50+ in both games this year. Amazingly (?), it’s only the fourth time OSU has done it in two straight games to start the year. The others are 1912 (!!), 1988 and 2018. I had many questions about the 1912 stretch, and I was not disappointed when I dialed up the media guide. OSU may have ended football at Oklahoma Methodist.

4. Central Michigan: The last non-conference game OSU lost (including bowl games) was against Central Michigan in 2016. That’s 12 in a row against non-Big 12 teams. The all-time record is 15 straight from 1983-85, which means OSU would have to beat Tulsa, its bowl opponent and then Oregon State and Tulsa next year to reach 16 and set a new school high-water mark.

5. Turnover Success: Gundy constantly preaches ball security, and there’s a good reason why. Since he took over, OSU is 35-2 when they don’t turn the ball over. That’s why Chuba was carrying a ball to class this week, according to one person on Twitter who sent me a DM about OSU’s superstar tailback walking around campus.

6. Spencer Tagovailoa: One of these lines is Tua’s. One is Spencer Sanders’. I’m not sure it much matters which is which.

Player 1: 31/42 for 453 yards and 6 TDs | 211.6 rating
Player 2: 42/55 for 563 yards and 7 TDs | 204.3 rating

That’s not to say that Sanders is Tua, but I think big boy QB performances at OSU have become so rote that it’s easy just to look at them and move on. Maybe that’s what we’re supposed to do. But I don’t want to miss how good he’s been through two games (six quarters).

7. The 100-Yard Club: Tylan Wallace is closing in on some big-time names in OSU receiving history. He put up his eighth career 100-yard game against McNeese and trails Dez by one and Ateman by two. He’ll need 10 more this season to catch Hart Lee (18), who himself trails Blackmon (19) by one, Rashaun (20) by two and Big Game James (21) by three.