Why Oklahoma State Wins<\/h3>\n
The Cowboys have Texas\u2019 number.\u00a0 It\u2019s as simple as that.\u00a0 It\u2019s a testament to Gundy\u2019s success at Oklahoma State.\u00a0 The Cowboys have beaten Texas six of the last eight times they played.\u00a0 Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian<\/strong> has yet to find the winning formula, losing to the Cowboys in 2022 and 2021.<\/p>\n The Oklahoma State team that won seven conference games shows up and finds a way to get it done.\u00a0 The Cowboys don\u2019t have any surprises in store this late in the season and they don\u2019t need any.\u00a0 \u201cTheir coaches know we\u2019re going to do what we do, and I\u2019m going to say that for the most part, they\u2019re going to do what they do,\u201d Gundy said at his Monday press conference.\u00a0 The Cowboys have the best running back in the country in Ollie Gordon<\/strong>.\u00a0 He rushed for 1,580 yards and 20 touchdowns.\u00a0 Oklahoma State will feed him the ball and let him guide them to the Big 12 Championship.<\/p>\n The team that got blown out 45-3 by UCF shows up.\u00a0 That was only three weeks ago.\u00a0 It looked a lot like the team that lost by 26 points to South Alabama in mid-September.\u00a0 Gordon was shut down in both losses and the passing game failed to make up the difference.\u00a0 \u201cWe would like to not be one dimensional,\u201d Gundy said.\u00a0 \u201cOne dimensional has not been good for our team no matter who we play.\u201d<\/p>\n Oklahoma State has made it all the way to the title game with Alan Bowman<\/a> at quarterback.\u00a0 The journeyman senior by way of Michigan and Texas Tech has thrown for 2,808 yards and 10 touchdowns. \u00a0He also threw 11 interceptions.\u00a0 To put it lightly, he does not have a history of making great decisions.\u00a0 Texas\u2019 defense is so effective this season that it has not had to load the box to stop the run.\u00a0 If the Longhorns follow that script and shut down Gordon, Oklahoma State will need Bowman to light up the scoreboard and that\u2019s not going to happen.<\/p>\n Texas is a team on a mission.\u00a0 The progress the Longhorns have made in Sarkisian\u2019s third year is off the charts.\u00a0 They\u2019re favored by two touchdowns over Oklahoma State for a reason.\u00a0 Texas has the top defense in the Big 12 and one of the best in the nation.\u00a0 The Longhorns have scored an average of 35 points a game despite missing games from their starting quarterback and best running back.<\/p>\n The Texas defense will keep Gordon in check and make life miserable for Bowman.\u00a0 On offense, there are too many weapons in Sarkisian\u2019s arsenal for Oklahoma State to have a chance at a Big 12 Championship.\u00a0 The Longhorns\u2019 running game has not missed a beat despite losing Jonathon Brooks<\/a> to injury.\u00a0 Sophomore Jaydon Blue<\/a> and true freshman CJ Baxter<\/strong> stepped in to fill the void in his absence.\u00a0 \u201cWe can win games a lot of different ways,\u201d Sarkisian told the media on Monday.<\/p>\n It hasn\u2019t all been sunshine and rainbows on the Forty Acres this season.\u00a0 Texas showed a knack for letting teams rally throughout the 2023 campaign.\u00a0 The Longhorns have won plenty of nailbiters this season that should have been blowouts.<\/p>\n The problems for Texas usually start when Quinn Ewers<\/a> loses his rhythm.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t happen often, but the other team tends to get going when Ewers gets cold.\u00a0 He has thrown for 2,709 yards with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions.\u00a0 His 74.5 QBR ranks him 22nd nationally.\u00a0 The Cowboys will rely on their linebacking trio of Xavier Benson<\/a>, Nickolas Martin<\/a>, and Collin Oliver<\/a> as they have all season.\u00a0 Oklahoma State\u2019s defense can make Ewers look normal and stifle the young running backs to spring the upset.<\/p>\n Gundy has been at Oklahoma State for way too long to come this close and not cash in.\u00a0 He led the Cowboys to the Big 12 Championship game in 2021 against Baylor and lost, 21-16.\u00a0 Oklahoma State started 2-2 this season and was seemingly headed for a down year before he got them turned around.\u00a0 The Cowboys are headed to their 18th straight bowl game in his 19 seasons no matter what happens against Texas.\u00a0 Gundy figures out how to win year after year, and he\u2019s beaten Texas the past two seasons.\u00a0 \u201cI would rather go into this game with some success over the history,\u201d he said of his players as they get ready for Texas.\u00a0 \u201cI would think it would help to give them some confidence.\u201d<\/p>\nWhy Oklahoma State Loses<\/h3>\n
Why Texas Wins<\/h3>\n
Why Texas Loses<\/h3>\n
The Coaching Factor<\/h3>\n
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