Oct 163 min read

Retzlaff, No. 13 BYU Try to Stay Perfect, Host Cowboys

BYU | QB Jake Retzlaff — © Rob Gray-Imagn Images

No. 13 BYU (6-0, 3-0 Big 12 Conference) will look to keep its perfect season going on Oct. 18 as the Cougars host Oklahoma State (3-3, 0-3) at 10:15 p.m. EST at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. BYU hopes to get another big game from redshirt junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff. He's been solid in steering the Cougars' offense.

Retzlaff has started all six games BYU has played. In them, he's 108-of-179 passing for 1,426 yards, 14 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Retzlaff also has a quarterback rating of 147.5 this season. You better believe that Retzlaff is a player that Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy has told his Cowboys' defenders to keep an eye on when out there.

This game also marks the first time that Oklahoma State has ever visited Provo for a game. The Cowboys have been hurt by key injuries to defensive standouts Collin Oliver and Nick Martin, and right tackle Jake Springfield on offense. Gundy, though, is one coach who always strives to get the best out of his players. On Oct. 18, he will look to do so against BYU and its head coach, Kalani Sitake.

What's at Stake

While this shapes up as a solid Big 12 battle under the lights, BYU has College Football Playoff possibilities in its sight. The Cougars, at 6-0, pretty much can count on a postseason bowl invitation. Yet they want to get in position for a date in the Big 12 Championship game. Winning this one means a lot as BYU can retain its perfect season. Oklahoma State would not mind playing the spoiler role. The Cowboys are going to look for ways to rattle Retzlaff and keep the Cougars' offense on its heels. If Oklahoma State can do this, then it might just tip the scales in its favor against a very tough BYU team.

Key Players: Oklahoma State

Ollie Gordon II, Running Back

Cowboys fans are thanking their lucky stars that Gordon is the workhorse of the Oklahoma State offense. Think about this for a minute. Gordon, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound junior, leads the Big 12 Conference with 4 rushing touchdowns. He has 384 total yards rushing on 101 carries. Quarterback Alan Bowman, whose 12 TD passes are nothing to sneeze at this season, will look to get Gordon as many carries as possible.

Trey Rucker, Safety

This season, Rucker tops all Power Four conference players with 69 total tackles and ranks second with 40 solo tackles. Against Utah(4-2, 1-2), Rucker picked up 2 interceptions. He's going to be watching Retzlaff closely as he roams around in the Oklahoma State secondary.

De'Zhaun Stribling, Wide Receiver

Stribling finds himself among the top 15 FBS players with 556 receiving yards. Against No. 17 Kansas State (5-1, 2-1), Stribling amassed 157 receiving yards. That put him in some elite company with former Oklahoma State star Justin Blackmon. Stribling became the first Cowboys player to have multiple 15-plus receiving yards games in the team's first five games since Blackmon did it back in 2010.

Key Players: BYU

Jake Retzlaff, Quarterback

While bringing some of Retzlaff's statistics to light, he's shown an uncanny ability to run when necessary. He's totaled 184 net yards on 40 carries and 1 touchdown. Retzlaff's longest run is a 28-yard scamper. BYU has quite a history when it comes to fielding solid quarterbacks. Retzlaff looks to keep that tradition alive.

Harrison Taggart, Linebacker

At 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, Taggart, who transferred to BYU from Oregon, knows his way around the defensive schemes Sitake puts out there. In 6 games, Taggart has 34 total tackles (16 solo) and 1 interception. The redshirt sophomore also has 1.5 tackles for loss as well. Look for him to give Oklahoma State's offense fits.

Game Prediction

Big 12 Conference football fans know that some games carry a possible big-score feel to them. With BYU among some of the best college football teams in the nation, it wants to make a statement. Two of the Cougars' six wins have been one-score games. Oklahoma State desperately wants to get its first Big 12 win. In this one, though, look for the Cougars to give the home crowd a reason to cheer. Final score: BYU 38, Oklahoma State 26.