Big 12 Power Rankings: Baylor’s Offense Proves Ready for Big 12 Schedule

Oct 5, 2013; Stillwater, OK, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys players wait to run out to the field before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Rowe-USA TODAY Sports

4. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Record: 4-1 (1-1)

Previous Ranking: 4

Last Week: OSU 33, K-State 29

This Week: Bye

Next Week: vs TCU

It wasn’t pretty by any means, but Oklahoma State kept their Big 12 hopes alive with a tough home win against Kansas State. The Cowboy now enter the bye week on a positive note before they take on TCU.

It may behoove the Cowboys to figure out how to run the ball over the next two weeks. OSU has a running game almost as bad as Kansas, and it shows up like a sore thumb in third down situations. OSU was 4-14 on third down against K-State, who came into the game allowing nearly every third down to be converted.

Staying on schedule and sustaining drives is going to be key if OSU wants to have any chance of beating Baylor or Oklahoma, which is what OSU is going to have to do in back-to-back weeks to end the season to win the Big 12. That isn’t going to happen if they cannot get their running game sorted out. Otherwise, OSU going to have to count on forcing five turnovers every week.