NCAA Preview: Oklahoma State vs Baylor
Oklahoma St. (2-1, 0-0 Big 12) at No. 16 Baylor (3-0, 0-0), 7:30 p.m. (Fox Sports)
Line: Baylor by 8.
Series record: Oklahoma State leads 19-15.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
The Big 12 opener for both teams. This is the first significant test this season for Baylor, one of only two undefeated teams remaining in the Big 12 -- and the only one with three wins. The Cowboys would also be undefeated if not for that officiating debacle that wrongly gave Central Michigan an untimed play at the end of the game that resulted in the winning touchdown, but they recovered to beat ACC team Pittsburgh last week. The Bears are trying to start 4-0 for the fourth year in a row.
KEY MATCHUP
The league's top receivers, Oklahoma State's James Washington (19 catches, 399 yards, 3 TDs) and Baylor's KD Cannon (24 catches, 352 yards, 4 TDs). Both had five catches and two touchdowns in last year's matchup that Baylor won in Stillwater, though Cannon had 210 yards receiving and Washington had 88.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Oklahoma State: QB Mason Rudolph is 14-4 as the Cowboys starter, and Baylor is the only Big 12 team he hasn't defeated. He set a school record last week with 540 yards passing against Pitt, the highest total for any quarterback in the nation this season.
Baylor: The running back trio of freshman JaMycal Hasty (79 yards per game rushing), sophomore Terence Williams (77.3 ypg) and senior Shock Linwood (71.0 ypg) are all in the top seven for rushing in the Big 12. Linwood broke the 35-year-old school career rushing record last week and is two rushing TDs short of another mark.
FACTS & FIGURES
Baylor has the nation's best home record since 2011 at 31-3, including a 12-2 mark since moving before the 2014 season into their campus stadium on the banks of the Brazos River where they average 51 points a game. ... Oklahoma State has won its last six true road games, dating back to the 2014 regular season finale at Oklahoma, a week after they lost at Baylor in Rudolph's college debut.
