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Oklahoma State University

Friday, January 1
New Orleans, LA
7:40 p.m.

Oklahoma State University

vs

Ole Miss

Photo by: OSU Athletics

Game Notes - Cowboys, Ole Miss Clash in Allstate Sugar Bowl

December 27, 2015 | Cowboy Football

Complete Release in PDF Format

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Ole Miss (Allstate Sugar Bowl)
7:40 p.m. CT |  Jan. 1, 2016  |  Mercedes-Benz Superdome (72,500)
 
TV: ESPN (Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Shannon Spake)
In Stillwater - Suddenlink 31/HD 231, DirecTV 206, Dish 140, U-verse 602
In OKC - Cox 29/HD 720, DirecTV 206, Dish 140, U-verse 602/HD 1602
In Tulsa - Cox 1025, DirecTV 206, Dish 140, U-verse 1602
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
(Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb & Robert Allen)
National Radio: ESPN Radio (Bill Rosinski, David Norrie, Joe Schad)
Satellite Radio: Sirius Channel 80, XM Channel 80 (ESPN Radio feed)
Live Stats: okstate.com
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The Basics
                The Oklahoma State football team (10-2 overall; 7-2 Big 12) appears in its 10th consecutive bowl game when it travels to New Orleans to take on Ole Miss (9-3 overall; 6-2 Southeastern Conference) in the Allstate Sugar Bowl at 7:30 p.m. CT on Jan. 1 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
 
On the Air
                The game will be televised by ESPN with Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard and Shannon Spake on the call. The contest will also be carried live on the Cowboy Radio Network, with Dave Hunziker handling play-by-play, John Holcomb providing analysis and Robert Allen reporting from the sideline. The game can also be heard on ESPN Radio, with Bill Rosinski, David Norrie and Joe Schad calling the action.
 
In the Polls
                Unranked to start the season, Oklahoma State is No. 13 in both the Associated Press poll and the Amway coaches poll. Ole Miss is No. 16 by the Associated Press and No. 15 by the coaches.
                The Cowboys have achieved a top 15 national ranking by the A.P. in seven of the last eight seasons and a top 10 A.P. ranking in six of the last eight seasons. Since 2008, OSU has been ranked in the A.P. poll in 76 of its last 101 games.
 
Oklahoma State from a Distance
                For the fourth time in the last six seasons, Oklahoma State has won 10 games. Only Alabama, Florida State, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon and Stanford have more 10-win seasons this decade. Central themes of the 2015 season at OSU include come-from-behind wins and winning close games, a uniquely effective two-quarterback system and a defense that has proven to be disruptive. A brief look at each:
 
Come-From-Behind Wins and Close Games
                Three times this year has OSU erased a deficit of at least 15 points to win a game. The Cowboys are 4-0 in games decided by one score and dating back to last year, Mike Gundy has coached the Pokes to a 7-0 record in the last seven games decided by a single score.
 
Two-Quarterback System
                Mason Rudolph ranks 13th nationally with 3,591 passing yards, while J.W. Walsh ranks 36th nationally with 144 points responsible for, despite having only 138 total offense attempts this season (1.04 points per total offense attempt). For perspective on that, the next-best points per total offense attempt performer (min. 140 points responsible for) is Appalachian State's Taylor Lamb at 0.59 points per play. In Power Five conferences, the next-best performer is Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield at 0.52 points per play.
 
Disruptive Defense
                On the defensive side of the ball, All-American and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Emmanuel Ogbah leads the Big 12 in both sacks and tackles for loss. He is the NCAA's active leader with 28 career sacks. He's the top performer for an OSU defense that ranks ninth nationally in turnovers gained, fourth nationally in sacks and 19th nationally in tackles for loss.
 
Oklahoma State and the Sugar Bowl
                Oklahoma State is making its second trip to the Allstate Sugar Bowl and its first since the 1945 team completed its perfect 9-0 season with a 33-13 win over St. Mary's (Calif.) in New Orleans.
                This is the fourth time that Mike Gundy has coached the Cowboys to a bowl game now referred to as a New Year's Six Bowl since 2010. The Pokes appeared in the 2010 Cotton Bowl, the 2012 Fiesta Bowl and the 2014 Cotton Bowl.
 
An Oklahoma State Win Would...
•  Bring the Cowboys to 11-2, marking the third time since 2010 that Oklahoma State has reached 11 wins. For perspective on that, OSU had no 11-win seasons in its history before 2010 and had only three 10-win seasons before Mike Gundy took over as head coach in 2005.
•  Improve the Cowboys to 17-9 all-time in bowl games (65.3 pct). Among teams with a minimum of 20 bowl trips, only USC has a higher bowl game winning percentage than Oklahoma State.
•  Improve the Cowboys to 10-2 in their last 12 games played against current members of the Southeastern Conference.
•  Mark the 18th time that the Cowboys have beaten an opponent ranked in the top 25 of the Associated Press poll since Mike Gundy took over as head coach in 2005.
 
Streaks and Trends Entering the Sugar Bowl
•  Oklahoma State has won four of its last five bowl games.
•  Oklahoma State is 5-0 away from home this season and has won its last seven games away from home, dating back to last season.
•  Oklahoma State has won 12 of its last 14 games overall, dating back to last season.
•  In the last six games, Oklahoma State holds a 13-4 turnover advantage over its opponents.
•  The Oklahoma State offense has scored touchdowns on 22 of its last 27 trips into the red zone (81.5 pct).
•  Oklahoma State has scored at least 30 points in 10 of its last 11 games.
•  Oklahoma State has passed for at least 325 yards in each of its last six games and has 21 passing touchdowns during that same span (3.5 per game).
•  Oklahoma State has scored at least one non-offensive touchdown in four of its last seven games.
•  Oklahoma State has intercepted at least one pass in nine of its last 10 games.
•  The Oklahoma State defense has at least two sacks in 11 of its 12 games this year.
•  Oklahoma State has blocked three kicks in its last six games.
•  Dating back to 2005, the Cowboys have won 24 of their last 25 games when not committing a turnover.
•  Dating back to the 2008 season, the Cowboys have won 44 of their last 47 games when winning the turnover battle.
•  Oklahoma State has won nine of its last 11 when playing as a ranked opponent.
•  Defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah has shared in at least one sack in 16 of his last 20 games, dating back to 2014.
•  Quarterback Mason Rudolph has thrown 12 touchdown passes against just two interceptions in his last six games.
•  Quarterback J.W. Walsh has accounted for at least one touchdown in every game this season and has accounted for 18 touchdowns the last seven games.
 
Oklahoma State vs. Current Members of the SEC
                Under Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State has more than held its own against the SEC, racking up a 10-7 record against SEC opposition. The Cowboys are 9-2 in their last 11 contests against current members of the SEC.
 
Oklahoma State's Bowl History
                Among the teams who have appeared in at least 20 bowl games, Oklahoma State's 64.0 winning percentage ranks second, trailing only the 66.0 mark turned in by USC. A closer look:
 
Best Bowl Game Win Pct., All Time (Min. 20 GP)
USC – 33-17-0 (66.0 pct.)
Oklahoma State – 16-9-0 (64.0 pct.)
Ole Miss – 23-13-0 (63.9 pct.)
Penn State – 28-15-2 (63.3 pct.)
Syracuse – 15-9-1 (62.0 pct.)
Florida State – 25-15-2 (61.9 pct.)
Oklahoma – 28-19-1 (59.4 pct.)
Georgia – 28-19-3 (59.0 pct.)
Auburn – 22-15-2 (59.0 pct.)
 
Records Watch
                The Cowboys enter the bowl game having matched the school record for fumble return touchdowns (three) and for fewest fumbles lost in a single season (four). Additionally, Emmanuel Ogbah has set school records for quarterback hurries in a season (19) and in a career (26).
                In addition to those records, there are a handful of others to keep an eye on during the bowl game:
 
Team Single Season
•  The Cowboys have 35 passing touchdowns. The single-season OSU record is 40 by the 2011 team.
•  The Cowboys have two punt return touchdowns. The OSU record is three, shared by the 2003 and 2010 teams.
•  The Cowboys have 38 quarterback sacks. The record is 44 by the 1983 team.
 
Individual Single-Season
•  Jeff Carr has 29 kickoff returns. The record is 32 by Justin Gilbert in 2012.
•  Emmanuel Ogbah has 13 sacks. The record is 16 by Leslie O'Neal in 1984.
•  Emmanuel Ogbah has three forced fumbles. The record is four by Jason Gildon in 1993 and Stacey Satterwhite in 1991.
 
Win Indicators
                There are many things that go into whether a team wins a game, but a long-term look at the trends during Mike Gundy's tenure at Oklahoma State shows that winning the turnover battle and winning the run game are two of the easiest ways to predict an OSU victory.
                Since 2005, when the Cowboys win the turnover battle, they are 54-6 (90.0 pct.) They are 24-1 (96.0 pct.) in games when they commit zero turnovers. OSU is 71-19 under Gundy when outrushing the opponent (78.9 pct.) and is 31-4 when holding the opponent under 100 yards on the ground (88.6 pct.).
                History also shows that OSU is tough to beat when it takes a lead into halftime, as the Cowboys are 73-6 when leading at intermission under Gundy (92.4 pct.).
 
Finding Ways to Win
                Four of Oklahoma State's games this season have come down to the final possession, with the Cowboys finding a way to win all four of those games. OSU used two late Ben Grogan field goals and a smothering fourth-quarter defensive effort to defeat Texas in Austin, 30-27, on Sept. 26. The following week, the Cowboys converted on a 4th-and-8 to keep a late drive alive and give Grogan the platform for another late game-winner in a 36-34 win over Kansas State. In the Cowboys' game at West Virginia, quarterback J.W. Walsh found a seam and scored a game-winning touchdown on fourth down in an overtime thriller.
                Additionally, the Cowboys have overcome three significant deficits to win games this year, including a 15-point deficit against Kansas State and 17-point deficits at Texas Tech and Iowa State, marking the second-biggest comeback in school history. The Cowboys have overcome second-half deficits in five of their 10 wins, including a 10-point fourth quarter deficit at Iowa State.
 
Striking First
                The Cowboys have been first to score in eight of their 12 games this season. On the defensive side, the Cowboys have held opponents without points on 17 of their 24 drives to open a half. Four of those drives were stopped via turnover while 11 ended with a punt. Eight of those drives for Cowboy opponents have resulted in zero or negative total yards and 11 of the 22 have only lasted for three or less plays.
 
Making Opponents Pay For Turnovers
                Oklahoma State has excelled in forcing turnovers this season, but perhaps more importantly, the Cowboys have made opponents pay for those turnovers - racking up an overwhelming 114-40 advantage over the opposition in points off turnovers.
 
Talking Points - Offense
•  Sophomore quarterback Mason Rudolph is 14 games into his college career and has a record of 12-2 (85.7 pct.) as a starter. Rudolph continues to show improvement each week. In his last four games, he has thrown nine touchdown passes against just one interception. He earned the Walter Camp National Player of the Week for his performance vs. TCU as he threw five touchdown passes and no interceptions. He has surpassed 300 yards passing six times and 400 yards three times this year.
•  The depth of the Cowboy receivers has been on display this year, with several receivers stepping up throughout the season. James Washington, David Glidden and Marcell Ateman have been at the center with each going over 100 yards in a game at least once this season, but the entire group has contributed in a meaningful way. Washington leads the team with 1,077 receiving yards and 10 TDs, making him one of just four underclassmen ever at Oklahoma State to go over the 1,000-yard mark. The others are the three most productive receivers in school history - Rashaun Woods, Dez Bryant and Justin Blackmon.
 
Explosive Plays
                Using gains of 20 yards or more to define an explosive play, the Cowboy offense has totaled 80 explosive plays (6.67 per game) on the year, which ranks as the 14th-most of any team in the country. 67 of those plays have been passes and 13 have been rushes. For comparison, the Cowboy offense of 2014 averaged 4.9 explosive plays per game.
                A look at how Oklahoma State stacks up against Power Five teams in terms of explosive pass plays:
 
1. Oklahoma State - 67
2. California - 65
3. Washington State - 65
4. Baylor - 63
5. Ole Miss - 61
 
Talking Points - Defense
•   Turnovers have always been a staple of OSU defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer's game plan, and this year the Cowboys have made the most of it by ranking ninth nationally with 27 takeaways. The most impressive performance came when the Cowboys intercepted TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin four times.
•   OSU is leading the Big 12 in turnovers forced, turnover margin, blocked kicks and defensive touchdowns. The Cowboys are also sixth nationally in sacks per game (3.3) and 14th nationally in tackles for loss per game (7.6).
•   Junior defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah continues to impress every time he takes the field and is a legitimate All-America candidate. The 2014 Big 12 defensive lineman of the year and first-team All-Big 12 honoree earned preseason All-America honors from Lindy's, Athlon and Phil Steele, among others. Ogbah has logged 12.0 sacks and 18 QB hurries (a school record), as well as three pass break ups. He had a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery all on the same play versus Baylor. He added a hurry and pass break up in that game as well.
•   Injuries have factored into the equation on defense for Oklahoma State, as middle linebacker Ryan Simmons and defensive end Jimmy Bean were both lost for the season to injury. Both Simmons and Bean were three-year starters.
 
We're Taking It Back
                OSU's defensive mantra is "We're Taking It Back," signifying the team's focus on forcing turnovers. It has worked so far, with the Cowboys forcing 27 turnovers total, which ranks ninth in the nation.
                In the last six games, the Cowboys have forced 13 turnovers, but their finest display of turnover forcing came early in the season, when the Pokes forced seven turnovers against UTSA. Seven turnovers gained ties for the third-most in a game in school history. The last time the Cowboys forced that many turnovers in a game was against Baylor in 2000.
 
Non-Offensive TDs an OSU Staple
                Non-offensive touchdowns have been a regular part of the Oklahoma State attack in recent years, as the Cowboys have 37 non-offensive scores since the start of the 2010 season - a mark that leads the nation during that span. Additionally, the Cowboys have scored a non-offensive touchdown in four of their last five games.