OSU 3-2-1 kickoff: How will Oklahoma State football fix tackling issues at Arizona State?

After an inconsistent showing in a season-opening win against Central Arkansas, Oklahoma State gets its first Power Five test of the season.

The Cowboys (1-0) face Arizona State (1-0) at 9:30 p.m. CT Saturday in Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, looking to improve in several uncertain areas and remain undefeated to start the season.

Here are three players to watch, two big questions and one wild prediction for the game:

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3 players to watch in OSU vs. Arizona State

Quarterback Alan Bowman: Might be the starter. The Texas Tech and Michigan transfer had perhaps the least impressive showing of the trio of quarterbacks last week, but he was also hindered by nearly a handful of dropped passes. He looked sharp in the hurry-up offense, though. And he remains the passer with the most experience, so don’t knock him out of the running for the starting position just yet.

Quarterback Gunnar Gundy: Might be the starter. He was certainly the closer last week. Gundy won the hearts and minds of some fans with his strong showing down the stretch that included two touchdown drives when it mattered most. The middle son of coach Mike Gundy, Gundy took a big leap in August camp and remained in the battle, turning it from what most perceived as a two-man contest to a three-man show for the time being.

Quarterback Garret Rangel: Might be the starter and actually was the starter against UCA. Rangel played in four games a year ago — starting three — and looked mostly like a true freshman. But in the opener, he looked much more in control as he showed off the skills that had coaches raving about him coming out of high school. The redshirt freshman’s opening performance could put him atop the depth chart should he keep it up.

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2 big questions in OSU vs. Arizona State

Can the defense solve its tackling issues? Mike Gundy pointed to poor tackling last week. So did new defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo. PFF.com listed the Cowboys with 16 missed tackles, too. It was a problem last season, especially in the final half. So, how do the Cowboys fix it? “We can drill that. We can work on that,” said Nardo. Players labeled it as rust from a layoff of true game action with tackling. Either way, it has to improve for the Cowboys to have success defensively. If not, especially against a more athletic team, it could be a long night.

Will the offensive line show improvement to open running game? A year ago, the Cowboys averaged 3.4 yards per carry. Entering the fourth quarter against UCA, they averaged 3.1 yards per carry. Not ideal for a team that spent the offseason reshaping its running game and dedicating itself to more of a power game. But the strong finish — 97 yards and 6.9 yards per carry in the fourth — is a promising sign, even against an overmatched FCS defense. It also helped that star Ollie Gordon got more involved in the run game after not touching the football for two quarters. OSU needs to solidify its run game, primarily with its blocking.

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1 wild prediction in OSU vs. Arizona State

Collin Oliver will lead the team in tackles and turnovers. OSU’s star from Edmond Santa Fe was very quiet last week. A little too quiet. Perhaps that was by design. Just don’t count on that happening again. Look for the linebacker — he’s no longer a defensive end — to really make his presence known with a monster game against a true freshman quarterback.

Jacob Unruh covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jacob? He can be reached at junruh@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @jacobunruh. Sign up for the Oklahoma State Cowboys newsletter to access more OSU coverage. Support Jacob’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football plans to fix tackling issues vs. Arizona State