West Virginia hosts Oklahoma State in homecoming matchup

MORGANTOWN — Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy has been within the Massive 12 lengthy sufficient to know there are not any straightforward street video games on the convention schedule. It’ll be made harder this week when his Cowboys journey to Morgantown for his or her first recreation within the japanese time zone this 12 months.

“West Virginia’s a methods away, it’s type of in a special a part of the world from us,” Gundy stated. “Our guys have to know and put together to play. They’ve an excellent house crowd; they get loud there.”

It would even be WVU’s homecoming celebration, solely including to the hostile surroundings.

West Virginia (4-2, 2-1 Massive 12) defeated Oklahoma State (4-2, 2-1) in final 12 months’s season finale in Stillwater, and the Cowboys will probably be trying to return the favor on Saturday (3:30 p.m./ESPN).

“If there’s one thing from final 12 months that may inspire them to play good soccer with enthusiasm and energy, I’m all for it,” Gundy stated.

Following a 2-2 begin to the 12 months with losses to South Alabama and Iowa State, the Cowboys have come out of their off week and received two straight in opposition to Kansas State and Kansas.

“I feel Oklahoma State’s one of many hottest groups within the nation,” WVU head coach Neal Brown stated. “I actually credit score Coach Gundy and his workers. They’d a low level, beat at house by South Alabama, however they’ve rebounded properly.”

A part of OSU’s rebound has been the emergence of sophomore operating again Ollie Gordon. Within the first three video games, Gordon touched the ball 25 instances and gained 154 yards. Over the following three video games, Gordon had 79 touches for 560 yards.

“I feel the distinction for them has been Ollie Gordon at operating again,” Brown stated. “He was particular for them final week and he’s a tricky sort out.”

Final week in opposition to Kansas, Gordon turned the primary Oklahoma State participant in over 30 years to document over 100 yards speeding (168) and receiving (116) in the identical recreation.

The Cowboys even have an skilled hand at quarterback in fifth-year senior Alan Bowman. Bowman spent the primary three years of his profession at Texas Tech and the following two at Michigan earlier than touchdown with the Cowboys this season.

“This child’s been by the league — he’s skilled,” Brown stated. “He’s settled down and he’s enjoying properly.”

Defensively, the Cowboys are led by linebacker Nickolas Martin, who leads the group with 54 complete tackles, 4 sacks and eight tackles for loss.

“I feel this could be the most-talented group, throughout the board, that we’ve performed,” Brown stated of OSU’s linebackers. “Penn State had some good guys, however this group, throughout the board, can actually play.”

Though West Virginia is coming off of a disappointing loss to Houston, the Mountaineers had their finest offensive efficiency of the 12 months in opposition to the Cougars and really feel they’ll proceed that momentum.

Quarterback Garrett Greene threw for 391 yards, ran for 47 and scored 4 complete touchdowns within the recreation.

“The quarterback runs approach higher than what folks suppose he does,“ Gundy stated. “He’s not a burner, he’s simpler than you suppose, he runs higher than you suppose and he doesn’t get caught a whole lot of instances.”

Operating again CJ Donaldson additionally had his most-productive day for the reason that Yard Brawl and receiver Devin Carter had extra yards (116) than within the earlier three video games mixed (51).

“Neal’s an excellent man and is considerably battling again from what the notion could also be of West Virginia soccer,” Gundy stated. “They’re enjoying fairly good, he’s finished an incredible job up there they usually have good schemes.”

Kickoff from Milan Puskar Stadium is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The sport will probably be broadcast on ESPN.

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