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Two Things We Learned from Oklahoma State’s Win over TCU, One We Didn’t

The Pokes showed improvement on both sides of the ball.

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Oklahoma State moved to 6-3 on Saturday with its wild win over TCU and is now bowl eligible for the 14th-straight season. As the Cowboys head into a weird second bye week before their final three-game stretch of the regular season, let’s look back at their sixth win.

Here are two things we learned from OSU-TCU and one thing we didn’t. First off, what we learned.

Sanders is Improving

If not for the apparently obligatory interception in the fourth quarter, this conclusion would be more obvious.

Sanders is an elite runner and has the ability to make just about any throw you need him to, those two things we’ve known for a while. But his decision-making has improved as the weeks have gone by, and you can tell that he’s made a concerted effort to keep two mitts on the ball when he scrambles.

I was actually okay with the first-half game plan of running the wildcat with Spencer to loosen things up and then taking your shots down the field, especially since he was moving the chains.

That will work for now. While it’s obvious that the coaching staff is still trying to protect him. (I get it. He’s thrown at least one pick in the last seven games). But at some point you have to take the training wheels off.

If Spencer continues improving in his reads and cutting down on the turnovers, hopefully he’ll earn the keys to the offense by year’s end. Maybe just in time for Bedlam.

This Defense Can Take It Back

I was reticent to heap too much praise on OSU’s defense following its three-interception game against Brock Purdy — who barely throws a pick — just in case it was a fluke. But back-to-back weeks of watching this group make level-headed QBs look downright reckless, and I’m ready to start the movement. #TTIB (They takin’ it back).

Purdy threw four in seven games, then three in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys. Max Duggan threw the first one of his college career the week before and then threw three more to OSU.

In just two weeks, the team that was tied for lowest interceptions in the league (three) is now fourth with nine. Add in the five recovered fumbles, and OSU is T-2nd in turnovers gained in the Big 12 with 14. Baylor is alone in the lead with 15 (thanks largely to certain homecoming game that shall not be mentioned).

Now, the one thing we didn’t learn…

How Badly Tylan Will Be Missed

You might be saying, But Kyle, Dillon Stoner was one early drop from having a very Tylan stat line on just four catches. And you’d be right. But when you rely so heavily on your ground game (for good reason) and attempt just 15 passes, it makes it hard to really know what you have in terms of talent and depth at receiver.

Let me be clear. I think OSU has enough talent at wideout to win the next two games, but when it comes to Bedlam — when you need your stars — I think the lack of Tylan’s playmaking ability will be glaring.

Maybe that point is moot. It is Bedlam. But there exists a reality, not too far removed from our own, where Oklahoma State continues this trend of improvement and is hitting on all cylinders on the last week of the season when the Sooners show up. If we did end up in that world and OSU makes a game out of Bedlam, it’s going to be shame that No. 2 is sitting on the sidelines.

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