5 Oklahoma State Cowboys to know before Oklahoma’s final Bedlam matchup
Bragging rights for the state of Oklahoma are on the line Saturday afternoon with a rowdy Stillwater crowd. The Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys matchup in Bedlam one final time as Big 12 rivals. The two schools haven’t come to an agreement to continue playing in the future.
The game also has massive implications for this year’s Big 12 title race. The winner will put itself in a prime position to book a trip to Arlington to start the final month of the season.
The Cowboys started this season 2-0 before losing 33-7 at home to South Alabama from the Sun Belt. They followed that up with a loss to Iowa State before righting the ship and reeling off wins in their last four games, including wins over Kansas and Kansas State. The makeup of this team is different than Oklahoma State teams of the past.
Mike Gundy is doing an terrific job coaching this team. As the Sooners get ready for one final Bedlam battle, here are five Oklahoma State Cowboys to know ahead of the matchup.
Ollie Gordon, RB
Ollie Gordon is the Cowboys’ most indispensable player and the engine that makes the offense go. He’s pound for pound, one of the best players Oklahoma will have the opportunity to play this year.
He is the NCAA’s leading rusher through eight games, and Gordon has been on a historic tear, with 978 of his 1,087 yards coming in the last five games. He’s earned back-to-back-to-back Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week awards. The Sooners’ defense has one job on Saturday: limit Gordon. He has exceeded 250 yards on the ground in his last two games.
He’s also scored 11 of the Cowboys’ 28 touchdowns. He is a powerful back that refuses to go down on first contact. He’s also fast enough to hit the second level and run right by you. Oklahoma’s tackling in the last two games provides little confidence they can stop the run. If they are going to win, they are going to have to tackle.
Nickolas Martin, LB
If Ollie Gordon is Oklahoma State’s most indispensable offensive player, Nickolas Marton holds that title for the Cowboys’ defense.
Martin has transformed into a do-it-all linebacker in just his sophomore season.
Martin leads the Big 12 with 83 tackles and leads the Cowboys with five sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. He’s fourth in the Big 12 in sacks and second in the league in TFLs.
Martin has thrived in the Cowboys’ 3-3-5 scheme and has the numbers to prove it. He’s undersized, but his speed and effort make up for it.
Alan Bowman, QB
While the Sooners’ primary focus will be stopping Ollie Gordon and the Oklahoma State ground game, they must be mindful of Alan Bowman.
Bowman has taken the starting quarterback job for Oklahoma State and steadied the ship in the departure of Spencer Sanders.
He’s hardly been tearing things up, but he has played well enough and has been an excellent complement to the things Oklahoma State does in the run game.
The Cowboys may be down some receivers, so that may impact how the Cowboys game plan offensively.
Collin Oliver, LB
While Martin may be the most indispensable player on the Oklahoma State defense, Collin Oliver may be the best overall.
Oliver is one of the best players on the Oklahoma State roster. He was the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2021 and made the final play of Bedlam in 2021 when he sacked Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams to end the game.
At 6’2 and under 240 pounds, he’s on the shorter side for an edge rusher, but he’s effective nonetheless.
Tyler Guyton and Walter Rouse or Jacob Sexton will have to get to their sets quickly and use their length to keep him at bay. It’s also possible the Sooners run right at him to nullify his ability to be a pass rusher. Considering Oklahoma State is running a 3-3-5, running the ball would help.
Kendal Daniels, S
Kendal Daniels is probably the player on the Oklahoma State defense with the highest ceiling. He’s a physical specimen, standing at 6-foot-4 with long arms and impressive range.
As a freshman in 2022, he was named the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, a Freshman All-American (FWAA, CFN), and was a second team All-Big 12 selection after recording 71 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, and five passes defended.
Oklahoma’s passing game will be itching for a bounce back after rain and poor execution doomed it against Kansas. Daniels is a playmaker back there, and at his size, Oklahoma has to respect that.
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