Four things to know about TCU football’s next opponent, the Oklahoma State Cowboys

TCU’s hopes of making the Big 12 title game were dashed in a last-second loss to Baylor, but the Horned Frogs still have a lot to play for against Oklahoma State.

A win over the struggling Cowboys would be enough to secure a bowl bid for TCU and ease some angst that has been building around the program over the last two seasons. Jockeying for bowl position isn’t the same as being in a title race, but the Horned Frogs are in a better situation than a year ago and enter Saturday’s game as a 10.5 point favorite.

The Cowboys have lost every Big 12 game this season, but are still capable of beating the Horned Frogs if TCU doesn’t come prepared. Here’s four things to know about the Oklahoma State Cowboys:

Slumping star

Cowboys running back and former Euless Trinity standout Ollie Gordon took the nation by storm last season as he emerged as one of the best players in the country with 1,732 yards on the ground and 21 rushing touchdowns. Gordon was a preseason All-American and was on numerous Heisman watchlists.

However, Gordon has been unable to live up to last year’s terrific season as his numbers have plummeted across the board. Gordon currently has just 593 yards and nine touchdowns this season. He’s average two less yards per carry and has only rushed for over 100 yards in two games this season. One of those was in the season opener against South Dakota State.

As much as he’s struggled this season, TCU can’t underestimate Gordon as he still has the talent to make a game-changing play or two. Plus the Horned Frogs’ leaky run defense could be exactly what he needs to finish the season strong. TCU must keep him under 100 yards.

Talented receivers

The Cowboys have a strong case for having the best receiver room in the Big 12 with its top two receivers returning from last year and another receiver having a breakout year. Brennan Presley was an All-Big 12 selection last season with close to 1,000 yards last season. Presley is on pace to get close to that number and leads the Cowboys with 61 receptions.

Oklahoma State utilizes him a lot in the screen game as he’s averaging less than 10 yards per catch, but Presley is a reliable target that makes most of his impact on third down. De’Zhaun Stribling has emerged as the group’s most explosive playmaker as he has 648 yards on just 36 receptions for an average of 18 yards per catch. Presley does his damage underneath while Stribling takes the top off of defenses.

Rashod Owens is another name to watch as he’s also capable of generating big plays. His numbers are down compared to last year, but Owens is still averaging 15 yards per catch. The Cowboys’ receivers compare favorably to the likes of Texas Tech and Baylor, who gave TCU’s secondary plenty of fits.

Weak link

Despite the skill talent and all the returning experience, there was a glaring question mark about the Cowboys roster in the preseason and it was quarterback Alan Bowman. One of the oldest players in the country, Bowman’s experience didn’t stop him from being turnover prone and oftentimes the Cowboys won in spite of him.

This season not much has changed as Bowman currently has 11 interceptions on the season. Aside from the season opener against South Dakota State, Bowman has thrown an interception in every game this season. With time in the pocket Bowman can pile up yards as he has three 300-yard games this season, but he’s more likely to commit a game-changing mistake than he is to lead the Cowboys to victory.

With teams slowing down Gordon, Bowman has had to carry the offense and Oklahoma State has struggled as a result.

Bottom tier defense

TCU’s offense should be eager to face an Oklahoma State defense that has taken a step back from last season. Oklahoma State wasn’t great on defense in 2023, allowing nearly 29 points per game, but now the unit is even worse. The Cowboys are allowing over 500 yards of total offense per game.

Oklahoma State has allowed at least 38 points in five straight games with teams like Baylor, Arizona State and West Virginia having some of their best offensive outings of the season. The big question for TCU is whether or not the Horned Frogs will be able to take advantage of the Cowboys’ rushing defense, which allows a staggering 248 yards per game and nearly six yards per carry.

TCU should be able to score at least 30 points on Saturday. Will that be enough points to win?