Oklahoma State @ Kansas preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 25, 2017 ) Kansas 17, Oklahoma State 58

Over the first three weeks of the season, Oklahoma State had shown a much better defense than past years and a surprising offense without record-setting quarterback Mason Rudolph, but the Cowboys dropped seven spots to No. 21 after getting drubbed at home by Texas Tech last week. Beginning with a visit to Kansas on Saturday, the Cowboys will have a chance to endear themselves to the voters once again before finishing the season against three top-25 teams in their final five contests.

Led by first-year starter Taylor Cornelius, Oklahoma State entered the Texas Tech contest sixth in the country in total offense and had outscored its first three opponents 157-51, but Cornelius struggled and the defense yielded 621 yards in a 41-17 defeat that snapped a nine-game win streak against the Red Raiders. After guiding the Cowboys to a win over No. 25 Boise State a week ago, Cornelius (1,229 passing yards in 2018 - eighth in FBS) finished 18-of-38 passing for 258 yards with a touchdown and interception against the Red Raiders. On paper, Kansas appears to be the perfect elixir for Oklahoma State, as the Cowboys have won six straight road games overall, eight consecutive in the series and seven straight in Lawrence. The Jayhawks, who have played very good defense thus far in 2018, trailed 23-0 at the half at Baylor last week before falling 26-7.

TV: Noon ET, Fox Sports Network. LINE: Oklahoma State -18.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (3-1, 0-1 Big 12): Cowboys coach Mike Gundy may try to return more to the run game this week and Justice Hill (388 yards, five TDs), who ranks 14th nationally with 8.43 yards per has but ran the ball only 12 times for a robust 111 yards in the loss. “We got behind, and that didn't help. If we were able to go back and do it again, you'd like to have pumped it to him about 18 times in that game, "Gundy told reporters at his weekly press conference. Despite its struggles against the high-powered Texas Tech offense (35 first downs, 9-of-14 on 3rd downs), the Cowboys' defense leads the nation in sacks per game (4.75) and the conference in fewest rushing yards allowed (111.5).

ABOUT KANSAS (2-2, 0-1): The Jayhawks, who put together a 405-yard rushing performance in their 55-24 win over Rutgers, managed only 122 yards on the ground against Baylor, led by freshman Pooka Williams Jr.'s 89 yards - including 72 on one run. Williams owns the top rushing contest in the Big 12 thus far with 163 yards against Rutgers, and he has collected 377 yards on 46 carries for the season, good for eight yards per carry and three touchdowns. Led by senior linebacker Joe Dineen (at least 10 tackles in every game), the Kansas defense currently leads the Big 12 in seven categories, including second in scoring defense (18.3 per game).

EXTRA POINTS

1. WR Tylan Wallace is just the third Oklahoma State underclassman to record three consecutive 100-yard receiving games, joining Biletnikoff winners James Washington and Justin Blackmon. He ranks sixth nationally at 110.5 yards per game and eighth with 442 total receiving yards.

2. Kansas' defense leads FBS in turnover margin at plus-12 (13 forced). The Jayhawks produced nine turnovers by its opponents in all of 2017.

3, Jayhawks sophomore P Kyle Thompson is second in the conference and 20th in FBS with his 44.2 yards per punt. He has recorded nine punts of 50 or more yards, including a career-long 65-yarder at Baylor, and has dropped 14 punts inside the 20-yard line.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 41, Kansas 14