John Hoover: Emotion, focus
This might sound like a recurring theme or perhaps a damaged report, however how motivated are the Sooners? Do a few of them simply need this season to finish? At publish-follow participant interviews on Monday evening, the tone was morose, the physique language was deflated and the facial expressions had been flat. That occurs to a staff with championship DNA that falls to five-5 on the season and loses two in a row. Oklahoma State gained’t really feel sorry for the Sooners. If there’s a gap, OSU will pounce on it and attempt to make it a blowout. With the historical past of this sequence and OU ending it by heading off to to the SEC? The Cowboys wouldn’t take their foot off the fuel. The query is, does OU let it get to that? The Sooners are ok to win this sport. Oddsmakers say OU is a 7.5-level favourite. But have the Oklahoma gamers bounced again emotionally? Are they keen to battle by adversity? Are they centered sufficient to chop out the psychological errors?
Ryan Chapman: Penalties
Last week in Morgantown it appeared as if each flag thrown on the Sooners was backbreaking. Oklahoma took a landing off the board with an offensive go interference, had a false begin to flip a fourth-and-1 right into a fourth-and-6 (which Dillon Gabriel didn’t convert), jumped offside on fourth-and-10 (which wiped away an interception) and had a facemask after a sack that might have pinned the Mountaineers nicely behind the chains. On the opposite sideline, Oklahoma State has been referred to as for the second fewest penalties this 12 months, drawing solely 3.7 flags per sport, which solely trails Navy. In a sport many count on to be shut, the Cowboys have a determined edge on this key space as OSU has continued to play with nice self-discipline regardless of a bevy of accidents.
Josh Callaway: Spencer Sanders’ Health
So, simply how wholesome is Spencer Sanders on this sport? Sanders has been banged up and lacking time as of late, coming off the bench and taking part in the ultimate 20 minutes or so in final week’s win over Iowa State. Afterward, he stated there was primarily no means he would miss this chance to play towards Oklahoma in Bedlam. With that in thoughts, Sanders would possible be gutting this out even when he wasn’t at one hundred pc. So it is going to be very fascinating to maintain an in depth eye on him all through the evening to see if he’s laboring. If he is near his ordinary self, there’s numerous potential for him to have an enormous day towards a struggling Sooners protection. If he is nonetheless banged up, the OSU offense might be off simply sufficient for Oklahoma to take benefit and slip away with their sixth win. Just how wholesome Sanders is, and if he can keep that means over the course of 60 minutes, is kind of arguably the one-largest storyline to look at on Saturday evening in Norman.
Ross Lovelace: Interceptions
If Spencer Sanders is taking part in on Saturday, it’s laborious to not give the sting to Oklahoma State. The offense has a a lot increased ceiling and the protection is extra constant, as Sanders really makes that large of a distinction. The one space he struggles in is the turnover class, and if Oklahoma can pressure Sanders to throw an interception or two, the momentum may swing fast. If the Cowboys’ backup quarterbacks are pressured into motion, Oklahoma’s protection will likely be at an enormous benefit. On the opposite hand, Dillon Gabriel’s turnovers have been pricey in Oklahoma’s losses just lately. Not solely have his passes been inconsistent, however the interceptions piled up towards Baylor. Both quarterbacks can decide the path of the sport Saturday, for higher or for worse.
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