Arkansas at No. 16 Oklahoma State: Top storyline, key matchup, player to watch and who wins

11 a.m.

Saturday, Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater Need-to-know info TV: ABC Radio: KTSB 1170 Records: OSU 1-0, Ark 1-0 Last meeting: ARK 33, OSU 20 (1980) All-time series: ARK leads 30-15-1 Date;Opponent;Result Aug.

31;S.

Dakota St.;W 44-20 Sept.

7;Arkansas;11 a.m.

Sept.

14;at Tulsa;11 a.m.

Sept.

21;Utah;TBA Sept.

28;at Kansas St.;TBA Oct.

5;W.Virginia;TBA Oct.

18;at BYU;9:15 p.m.

Oct.

26;at Baylor;TBA Nov.

2;Arizona St.;TBA Nov.

9;at TCU;TBA Nov.

23;Texas Tech;TBA Nov.

30;at Colorado;TBA 1.

TOP STORYLINE Can Oklahoma State lean on the running game against Arkansas? Oklahoma States backup running backs struggled, with eight carries for 11 yards, and Ollie Gordons final three carries amounted to a loss of one yard.

Those numbers might cause some anxiety concerning the offensive line, but Gordon still had a great day.

On 12-of-28 carries, Gordon picked up at least eight yards, a first down or a touchdown.

Eight of his 28 attempts resulted in one yard or less.

Five of these came on first-and-10.

Gordon averaged 3.5 yards per attempt on the remaining eight carries, all of which came on first or second down.

When facing Power Four competition last season, Arkansas gave up 4.7 yards per attempt, and three of nine teams averaged 1.3-plus yards more than their season-long average, while three others averaged smaller increases of less than half a yard more per carry.

2.

KEY MATCHUP OSU secondary versus Arkansas QB Taylen Green Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green made headlines last week against Arkansas Pine-Bluff after completing 70% of his passes and averaging 14.7 yards per carry.

In two games against Power conference competition, Washington and UCF last season, Green completed 48% of his passes and averaged 6.1 yards per carry.

Hell likely stress the linebackers more in this game, but it was the OSU secondary that either miscommunicated or just got beat a few times last week, most notably on both of South Dakota States touchdowns.

They did a couple things scheme-wise that were really good, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said of South Dakota State.

So four of the six (big plays) we need to be more disciplined with our eyes.

We need to adjust to what they did to us.

3.

PLAYERS TO WATCH OSU LB Collin Oliver Oklahoma State welcomes former Cowboy Leslie ONeal into the ring of honor on Saturday.

ONeal is the all-time sack leader with 34, and its his record that Oliver chases this season, 23.5 sacks and counting.

Perhaps the ring of honor ceremony will provide Oliver with the motivation to keep up the pace he set last week when he finished with one sack, two tackles for loss and five quarterback hurries.

OSU LB Nick Martin When South Dakota State quarterback, and NFL prospect, Mark Gronowski left the pocket last week, Martin did an admirable job containing him.

Ignoring sacks, Gronowski averaged 3.8 yards per carry on eight attempts last week.

Thats 0.5 yards worse than his 2023 average, including yards lost by sacks.

Green should be an even tougher challenge on the ground this week.

He ran the ball himself three times on Arkansas first 16 plays last week.

4.

WHO WINS AND WHY From columnist Bill Haisten: In this long-overdue reunion of the Razorbacks and Cowboys, Oklahoma States offensive line contends with the type of bigger, faster front-seven personnel who are so common in the SEC.

Against South Dakota State, the Cowboys averaged only 3.8 yards per rush attempt.

Against the Razorback defense last week, Arkansas-Pine Bluff netted only 7 yards from 26 rushing attempts.

A massively pivotal coaching match-up: Bobby Petrino vs.

Bryan Nardo.

Petrino was a successful Razorback head coach and has returned to Fayetteville as one of college footballs more renowned offensive coordinators and play-callers.

Nardo is OSUs second-year defensive coordinator.

Arkansas overcomes the Cowboys Boone Pickens Stadium advantage and scores a 34-30 victory a very important victory for Razorback head coach Sam Pittman..

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