Oklahoma State Football is back in action again this week as the Cowboys play host to the Jaguars of South Alabama on Saturday evening in Stillwater. OK State is looking to remain perfect after a 2-0 start to the season. Meanwhile, the Jags are 1-1 after beginning the 2023 campaign with a 37-17 loss to Tulane. However, South Alabama rebounded last week by defeating Southeastern Louisiana, 35-17.
If you're looking to catch the game on TV, you're going to need ESPN+, as this contest will be streamed live on Big 12 Now with Drew Carter and Dustin Fox on the call.
Cowboys vs the Jaguars: Series History
This week's meeting will mark the third between Oklahoma State and South Alabama, with the Pokes taking the first two contests by a combined score of 99-20. The first time these two met was back in 2017 when OSU visited Mobile and won, 44-7. The second meeting took place the very next season in Stillwater with the Cowboys winning, 55-13. Oklahoma State is also 18-3 overall against football programs hailing from the Sun Belt Conference, with the two South Alabama matchups representing the most recent games.
"This is the most physical team we've played. This is the best team we've played up to this point. They're physical, they've done a nice job. They're a very aggressive defense. They want to hit you in the mouth. Their linebackers are aggressive. They have undersized defensive lineman, in somebody's opinion. They've got some 6'1, 6'2, 300-pound guys that are explosive and powerful. They play hard, they run to the ball, they tackle. This is the most physical team we've played."
Oklahoma State Head Coach Mike Gundy on South Alabama
Oklahoma State at a Glance
The Pokes' 2-0 record came with wins over Central Arkansas and Arizona State. OSU is coached by Mike Gundy who is in his 19th year with the program. Gundy has a career record of 158-75. Offensively, Oklahoma State has been rotating three quarterbacks through the first-two games of the season. Alan Bowman leads the three in passing yards with 193 while Garret Rangel leads the group with two passing touchdowns. Gunnar Gundy has also contributed 138 yards and a touchdown through the air.
De'zhaun Stribling has been the favorite target for the trio of quarterbacks so far with 11 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown. Jaden Bray has also contributed 113 receiving yards while Brennan Presley has caught a pair of touchdowns. Ollie Gordon II is the team's leading rusher with 97 yards and two touchdowns.
The Cowboy defense has been producing so far too, generating a shutout half in each game this season. OSU has won 83 consecutive games when holding its opponent to fewer than 20 points, dating back to Sept. 13, 2003 – the longest active stretch of time in the FBS and longest since at least 1980. Staying with the Pokes defense, Kendal Daniels has paced the Cowboys with 15 total tackles on the year to go with a fumble recovery. Nickolas Martin has been a menace to opposing offenses with three tackles for loss and two sacks.
South Alabama at a Glance
After winning its home opener against Southeastern Louisiana, South Alabama is gearing up for its second road trip of the season. The Jaguars own a road record of 6-7 under head coach Kane Wommack, but are 5-2 in true road games since the start of the 2022 season. By securing the win over Southeastern Louisiana, Carter Bradley became the winningest quarterback in South Alabama history with 11 victories for his career as the starting quarterback.
The Jaguars own a road record of 6-7 under head coach Kane Wommack, but are 5-2 in true road games since the start of the 2022 season. Saturday's game in Stillwater will serve as a homecoming for a few of the players on the South Alabama roster. Linebacker Trey Kiser is originally from Sulphur, Okla. where he attended Sulphur High School. Tight end Lincoln Sefcik also hails from the Sooner State, and was born in Stillwater. He attended Enid High School.
Another familiar face will be on the sideline for South Alabama with offensive coordinator Major Applewhite. The former Texas quarterback and Houston head coach enters his second season with South Alabama. In 2022, he was instrumental in helping Jalen Tolbert earn the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors, the first for a Jag, as Tolbert led the conference in catches, receiving yards, receiving yards per game and yards per reception - ranking third in both total yards and yards per game nationally heading into the postseason - after catching 82 passes for 1,474 yards and eight touchdowns on his way to a third round selection of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Oklahoma State vs South Alabama Media Details
South Alabama (1-1, 0-0 SBC) at Oklahoma State (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) kicks off at 7 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. CT on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. The game can also be heard on SiriusXM channel 83.
