Three and Out: What’s the Answer for OSU’s Red-Zone Struggles?

This weekend’s Bedlam bout could come down to any number of things. Special teams and turnovers have held sway in several past editions of the rivalry, and in several past outings for this year’s Cowboy team.

But there are three specific numbers to watch for this Saturday, with bated breath of course.

Secondary

Okay, that’s not technically a number but this section will be filled with them.

Oklahoma’s pass defense has been brought up throughout this week’s Bedlam coverage, and for good reason. It’s given up 13 passing touchdowns and grabbed just four interceptions. The Cowboys have a 6:12 TD to interception ratio, and are tied with teams like Alabama, Michigan and Wisconsin for passing TD allowed nationally.

Oklahoma State’s secondary has been sneaky great all year. Last weekend, the question was whether or not the two young corners could step up to the challenge of Will Grier and David Sills V in Milan Puskar and A.J. Green looked like Justin Gilbert.

Yes, I know. Hyperbole.

Mike Gundy thinks Green and Rodarius Williams are finally to a point in the season where he can afford throwing them a compliment.

“They’ve improved,” said Gundy. “This will be the greatest challenge for them with (Baker Mayfield) throwing it and them making plays on the perimeter. They’re improved.

“They’ve got a lot of work ahead of them. They’ll make mistakes at times, like most college players do, but they’re way ahead of where they were in early September.”

4th Down

If the Cowboys get into a fourth-down-and-short situation (especially in the red zone), I’d like to see Mike and Mike be more aggressive. We already know what Mason wants to do.

The short kicking game has been a crapshoot at best, along with most facets of OSU’s special teams unit. And Rudolph has the ability to keep it and run if the situation calls for it, but Mike Gundy doesn’t get too fired up about that, which is understandable.

What OSU does have is a bevy of playmakers at receiver, two studs at RB and a supposedly innovative offensive coordinator. Somebody needs to sneak some LEGOs into the booth or something. Either way, OSU has not been great in the red zone and that needs to improve.

Carson Cunningham has been calling for J.D. to hold court in the score zone all year and we got a healthy dose of King when Justice Hill left the field injured in Morgantown. He had a 20-yard rushing TD and a red-zone TD reception. Use the man.

Hill and King have combined to score 9 TDs on 14 rushes inside an opponent’s 20, despite OSU ranking No. 57 in the country in TD percentage in the red zone. Hill has six in seven tries.

41%

Oklahoma has been giving up third-down conversions 41.2 percent of the time, a mark that ranks 79th in the country. And it’ll face its biggest challenge in that department in Stillwater. The Cowboy offense is seventh nationally, converting third downs 48.6 percent of the time.

Marcell Ateman has been fantastic moving the chains on all nine of his third-down catches this year. James Washington and Dillon Stoner are each six of six in such situations and Jalen McCleskey is three of five from the slot.

Let’s look at OSU on third downs so far.

The Cowboys were held to 0 for 5 on third-and-long situations the last two games and therefore have seven three-and-outs (or two more than it had all year up to that point). That can’t happen against the No. 1 offense in the country. It’s as simple as that.

If Oklahoma State wants to have a shot at knocking Mayfield and Co. out of the Big 12 race, it will need to convert on third downs and keep drives alive.