PLAYERS TO WATCH
–DE Jordan Brailford shares the national lead with seven sacks and ranks third in the FBS with 2.1 tackles for loss per game. He was named the defensive MVP of the win over Kansas after finishing with career-bests in tackles (eight), sacks (three) and tackles for loss (five). Brailford has led Oklahoma State’s push to lead the nation in sacks with 24 through a 4-1 start.
–QB Taylor Cornelius passed for 312 yards and four touchdowns, going 15-of-20 in the Kansas win. The performance set Oklahoma State records for single-game passing efficiency (minimum 20 attempts) at 262.04 and yards per attempt at 15.6. Both records were set by Cornelius’ predecessor, Mason Rudolph. Cornelius, a fifth-year senior, is starting for the first time since high school.
–WR Tylan Wallace joined Justin Blackmon as the only underclassmen at Oklahoma State to record four consecutive 100-yard games when the sophomore achieved that mark against Kansas. Wallace ranks seventh nationally in both receiving yards per game (109.2) and receiving yards (546). His emergence has become even more valuable because of injuries to Oklahoma State receivers.
–P Zach Sinor has averaged 48.1 yards on nine punts after missing the first three games after undergoing hernia surgery in early August. They senior booted a 67-yarder on his first punt of the season. Against Kansas, he pinned the Jayhawks inside their 20 three times and almost landed another punt deep in their territory before it bounded into the end zone.
SERIES HISTORY: Oklahoma State leads Iowa State 31-18-3. The Cowboys’ six-game win streak over the Cyclones is their longest in the series, which dates back to the Big Eight. Oklahoma State scored two touchdowns inside the final six minutes to nip Iowa State 49-42 last season. RB Justice Hill rushed for 134 yards and three touchdowns to boost the Cowboys.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We’ve really got four wide receivers that aren’t playing now (compared to the) two-deep at the beginning of the year. … The loads are pretty heavy. We only had 66 plays (at Kansas), so that allowed us a little more room for guys to not get burned up as much. We stay pretty close to 80 plays most of the time. I thought it was managed well. In the end, (opponents) still have to defend the run.” — Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy.