Kansas @ Oklahoma State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 13, 2012 ) Oklahoma State 20, Kansas 14

No. 11 Oklahoma State knows it can't overlook visiting Kansas on Saturday, even though the Jayhawks enter with a five-game losing streak and haven't won a Big 12 Conference game since 2010. The Cowboys follow Kansas with contests against the other three contenders for the league title - Texas, Baylor and Oklahoma - and can't afford to slip. "In order for us to reach a goal, which would be to have a chance to win a conference championship, we certainly have to win this week," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy told the media Monday.

The Cowboys have posted four straight victories since losing at West Virginia, including back-to-back 50-point performances with Clint Chelf starting at quarterback. The backfield shakeup also saw Desmond Roland (315 yards and seven touchdowns in the last two games) take over as the Cowboys' feature back. Oklahoma State is averaging 444.1 yards and 40.5 points, while the Jayhawks have been outscored by a total of 130 points in six conference games.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Oklahoma State -31

ABOUT KANSAS (2-6, 0-5 Big 12): Coach Charlie Weis said he would work closely with the offensive line - and likely make personnel changes - as his team prepares for its fourth top-25 opponent in six games. "I think (the offensive struggle) all starts up front, to be perfectly honest with you," he told the media Monday. "You try to establish some chemistry and get the same guys playing together all the time, but we haven't been very efficient up front." Quarterback Jake Heaps needs 84 passing yards to reach 5,000 for his career and could have receivers Tony Pierson (concussion), Rodriguez Coleman (leg), Josh Ford (concussion) and Andrew Turzilli (ankle) back this week.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (7-1, 4-1): First-year defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer has the Cowboys ranked in the top 20 in several categories, including third-down defense (ninth, 30.2 percent), red-zone defense (14th, 71.4 percent) and rushing defense (18th, 122.9 yards per game). The Cowboys, who have created at least one turnover in 16 straight games, are tied for fifth nationally with a plus-10 turnover margin. Cornerback Tyler Patmon, who started last week, recorded 142 tackles and six interceptions as a three-year starter at Kansas before earning his degree early and transferring to Oklahoma State.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Oklahoma State has scored 20 or more points in 47 straight games, the nation's longest active streak.

2. Pierson leads Kansas with 21 catches and 327 yards despite being sidelined since suffering a concussion against Texas Tech on Oct. 5.

3. Kansas S Isaiah Johnson, who started his college career as a WR at Western Carolina, is tied for the league lead with four interceptions - the most by a Jayhawk in a single season since Darrell Stuckey recorded five in 2008.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 45, Kansas 13