Oh, how the Cowboys are wishing that the NCAA hadn't come down so hard on Dez Bryant. And oh, how the Cowboys wish they didn't get Texas coming off their best game of the year so far, a 41-7 spanking of what appeared to be a good Missouri team.
Offense, not surprisingly, is not a problem for either of these teams. Texas is #1 in the country in points per game (41.9) while Oklahoma State sits at #7 (37.0 per). Each also rank in the top 30 in yards per game, with over 400 a contest. Texas has generated their offense through the air, with Colt McCoy running less and throwing more. Oklahoma State has stuck to their roots and are averaging 185.6 yard on the ground.
If Oklahoma State had Dez Bryant, then they may have been able to win a shootout at home. That's not the case, so they're in trouble if it comes down to that.
Here's why it won't come down to that- Texas is #9 in the country in points allowed. They give up only 13.6 a game to their opponents. Oklahoma State are no slouches either, but they give up 20 point a contest. That places them at 35th in the country, behind powerhouses such as UCF and Temple.
Another, perhaps more telling stat, is that Oklahoma State gives up more than 100 more yards per game. Texas is the best in the Big 12, allowing 237 yards per. Oklahoma State is tops in the bottom half, surrenduring 352.1 to their opponents.
When taking the strengths of the other team into account, things don't look too good for the Cowboys either. The Texas run defense is the best in the conference allowing 42.7 rushing yards a game. That is not a typo. The Cowboys allow 253.2 yards through the air a game. Texas isn't a one trick pony, either. They only allow 194.3 yards through the air.
Texas is also one of the better teams (second in the conference) at picking off passes. Zac Robinson only has three this year, but he hasn't played Texas. The Cowboys have only picked off eight passes this year, which is actually the number of picks McCoy has thrown. So hey, maybe the Cowboys are gonna get some points that way.
This is Texas' last chance to really wow voters, and their last test before the BCS National Championship game. Let's be honest- they Big 12 north is awful and Kansas State could win it. That won't give Texas the opprotunity to prove anything. It comes down to this for the Longhorns- survive and advance. For Oklahoma State, this is their chance to prove they belong with Oklahoma and Texas. This is their chance at having an outside, but decent, shot to play in the national championship.
After what happened to Texas last year, I don't expect the Longhorns to squander this game away. It will be early close, but Texas closes the door late, and takes this one 44-35.
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