
I am a firm believer in the improvement of the Cowboys’ offense, and I expect the Pokes to be able to put up plenty of points in this one. Meanwhile, Baylor had to play a really physical game against a stingy Iowa State group. It’s worth noting that Gundy and his staff had two weeks to prepare for this game with the bye week. There is no doubt this will be one of the most difficult games for Oklahoma State all season - against a good Baylor team in a hostile environment. The Pokes were my preseason pick to win the Big 12, and last week, I wrote on why I believe there is value on this team at 100/1 for a national title future. Going back to the offseason, I’ve been higher on Oklahoma State than the market.
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Sanders was not able to use his legs all that much when the teams met last December, but he will definitely look to run it when he can on Saturday.ĭata via (CFBD), FootballOutsiders, SP+, Pro Football Focus and SportSource Analytics. Lastly, a huge key for this defense will be whether or not it can contain Sanders’ scrambling ability when things break down. The junior is a stalwart at nose tackle and can clog the middle with the best of them.Įxpect Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn to look to counter this with a heavy dosage of passes early in the game, knowing that’s where the Bears’ defense could be a bit more vulnerable. Baylor lost plenty of pros from last year’s roster, but this group is still really good, particularly in the trenches.īaylor enters this one ranked fifth nationally in Defensive Rush Success, and Siaki Ika is a big reason for that. Bears Defenseĭave Aranda is an elite defensive mind, and it has shown thus far in his tenure as the head man. Both backs were elite at the point of contact, and Richard Reese is still a bit of a work in progress. In what should be a physical game Saturday, I think the Bears will really miss the running back duo of Abram Smith and Trestan Ebner from a year ago. Last week, in the victory over Iowa State, Grimes used a heavy dose of play action, which allowed Shapen to connect with Gavin Holmes and Hal Presley down the field. Jeff Grimes is an elite offensive coordinator and has done a really good job in his first two seasons in Waco. Shapen struggled a little bit in the Bears’ road loss to BYU in Week 2, but he responded very nicely last week in Ames. Speaking of Shapen, the sophomore won the starting quarterback job in the offseason after taking over for Gerry Bohanon late last year. It’s still unknown whether or not this group can hold up against an Air Raid offense, but Blake Shapen and Baylor don’t throw it deep all that much. Jason Taylor II is an experienced returnee, and Jabbar Muhammad has stepped into one of the starting cornerback slots. If there is a weakness on this defense, it would be in the secondary, where the Cowboys lost a ton of talent to the pros and transfer portal. The Cowboys also returned a loaded defensive line group led by Brock Martin and Collin Oliver.Īs a result, OSU should remain stout against the run this year, and should be able to generate plenty of pass rush with the defensive ends on its roster. Toss in the fact that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles took the cash and left for Ohio State, and there were many questions as to what this defensive unit would look like in 2022.įortunately for the Pokes, Gundy made a really good hire in bringing in former Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason to run the defense. It’s not easy to replace the likes of Malcolm Rodriguez, Tanner McCalister and Kolby Harvell-Peel from a defense that was top-five in the country a year ago. Wide receiver Braydon Johnson is also back after missing all of last year due to injury, and Brennan Presley and John Paul Richardson have emerged as two other very reliable targets. Turnovers have often plagued him in prior seasons, but with an improved offensive line, Sanders looks a lot more comfortable in the pocket and is making better decisions. Sanders has thrown for over 900 yards and 10 touchdowns in just three games, and has also found the end zone three times with his legs. The senior from Denton, TX is playing the best football of his life, and has grasped complete control of the offense. Spencer Sanders and company have come out of the gates hot in 2022.

The Cowboys’ defense kept the team afloat, and as the offense got healthier, it improved.

Injuries really hit the Pokes’ offense last season, to the point where Mike Gundy had to play walk-ons at receiver for a couple of early games. Oklahoma State has opened the year vastly different than it did a season ago on the offensive side of the ball.
