Oklahoma State @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 1, 2016 ) Texas 31, Oklahoma State 49

Eleventh-ranked Oklahoma State was a trendy pick to make the four-team College Football Playoff before getting upset by Big 12 leader TCU (44-31) on Sept. 23. The Cowboys, in a five-team logjam for second place in the conference, will now find out if they are contenders or pretenders during a brutal three-game stretch that begins Saturday at Texas.

If Oklahoma State can win in Austin -- a big if considering the Longhorns had ninth-ranked Oklahoma on the ropes last week before losing, 29-24, and also gave then-No. 4 USC all it could handle before losing 27-24 in double overtime -- the Cowboys then travel to West Virginia before returning home for their Bedlam rivalry game with the Sooners. "You'd prefer to not have two or three physical games back-to-back," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy told The Oklahoman. "That's not going to happen to us. (Texas) is very physical. West Virginia is very physical. I haven't really seen OU much, but athletically they're going to be able to run around and hit you enough." Texas, meanwhile, will try and move on from a tough Red River Showdown loss to the Sooners. "It stings worse than most losses do," Texas coach Tom Herman said. "But we also understand that we're one of a bunch of one-loss teams in this conference, and for us to maintain that level and status within our conference, we've got to win this week. We've got to go 1-0 this week."

TV: Noon, ABC. LINE: Oklahoma State -7

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (5-1, 2-1 Big 12): The Cowboys are coming off a record-setting offensive performance, gaining a school-record 747 yards in a 59-16 rout of Baylor. Quarterback Mason Rudolph passed for 459 yards and four touchdowns while senior wide receiver James Washington had six catches for 235 yards -- an eye-popping 39.2-yard average. Linebacker Justin Phillips forced two fumbles and finished with six tackles, including 2.5 for losses, in the win.

ABOUT TEXAS (3-3, 2-1): With star left tackle Connor Williams still sidelined with a knee injury, the Longhorns have struggled to put together a consistent run game and are averaging just 169.7 yards per game on the ground with freshman quarterback Sam Ehlinger leading the squad in both carries (68) and yards per game (67.8). He threw for 278 yards and touchdown while also rushing 22 times for 110 yards in the loss to Oklahoma, and the concern is how long he can physically maintain that load on the ground. The Longhorns have one of the top defenses in the Big 12, especially against the run allowing just 116.7 yards per game, while safety DeShon Elliott leads the secondary with five interceptions which tops the Big 12 and ties him for the national lead.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Oklahoma State leads the nation in total offense (610.7) and passing offense (411.2) and is second in scoring offense (48.8).

2. Rudolph has thrown for at least 300 yards in seven straight games, the longest active streak in FBS.

3. Texas leads the nation in net punting (44.81 yards).

PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 37, Texas 28