No. 8 Oklahoma State can improve to 3-0 for the sixth-consecutive season Saturday when it concludes its non-conference schedule by hosting undefeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Stillwater, Okla.
The Cowboys followed a season-opening 58-44 win over Central Michigan with a 34-17 victory over visiting Arizona State on Saturday. After the Sun Devils pulled to within 20-17 with 14:25 left in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys secured the victory with consecutive scoring drives as Spencer Sanders threw a pair of touchdown passes.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff, an FCS school that opened with a 48-42 win over the Lane College Dragons, is coming off a 76-3 victory over the North American Stallions, a NAIA school, in which 10 Golden Lions found the end zone on Saturday.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff amassed 542 yards of total offense in the outburst, which marked its fourth-highest point total in program history and the first time it scored more than 70 since 1990.
But the Golden Lions will face a much more difficult test against the Cowboys, who have won nine of their past 10 games, including a 37-35 win over then-No. 5 Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.
Moreover, Oklahoma State is looking for its school-record 11th consecutive win at home.
“I told them the truth: This is where we’re at and this is who we are. Then this is who they are,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. “This is what we’ve accomplished, and this is what they’ve done this year.
“This is what we need to get done this week all while having a game plan for these guys just like we would anybody else.”
Sanders has completed 62 percent of his passes for 674 yards with six touchdowns and an interception, in addition to rushing for 111 yards and three touchdowns.
Braydon Johnson has 214 yards and a touchdown receiving on just 10 receptions, while Bryson Green has eight receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns and Brennan Presley has 106 yards on nine receptions.
Dominic Richardson has powered the ground game by rushing for 192 yards and two scores on 36 carries.
“They may have 50,000 fans, but only 22 can play, so that is the only thing we’ll worry about is our 11 versus their 11 on each play,” Arkansas-Pine Bluff coach Doc Gamble said. “Hopefully, we will get there early and look around and then we will focus on the game plan. We know they play fast, but we have to play at our max speed, whatever that is.”
Arkansas-Pine Bluff quarterback Skyler Perry has completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 434 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, with his favorite target being Raequan Prince (9 catches, 150 yards, 2 TDs).
While Kayvon Brtten has rushed for 259 yards and four on 38 carries, an average of 6.8 yards an attempt, a whopping 13 Golden Lions have carried ball at least once this season.
This is the first meeting between the programs.
–Field Level Media