OSU-KANSAS: THREE STORYLINES
Senior sendoff
The end of the regular season arrives bittersweet for the Cowboys, who have become more reflective on a missed opportunity at something special. No Big 12 championship. No College Football Playoff appearance. And it was a team built for such spoils — not that such a run is ever guaranteed — and the opportunity was there, right in front of them, yet couldn’t be grasped. And it stings the most for OSU’s seniors, 23 in all. Still, on Senior Day at Boone Pickens Stadium, there’s plenty to celebrate for a group that’s accomplished so much: many wins and moments and extending the Cowboys’ school-record streak of bowl berths. They’ve been good Cowboys, worthy of a sendoff.
Get going
Most alarming in this OSU season: a 2-3 home record. The Cowboys rolled to a 6-0 mark on the road, yet are now poised to finish with the first non-winning home record since 2005 — Mike Gundy’s first season as head coach. The three losses all came with the Cowboys established as favorites, too, not as some anticipated result amid a rugged home schedule. And they featured another troubling trend: sluggish starts. After last Saturday’s setback, when OSU lost as a 17-point favorite to Kansas State, the Cowboys vowed to fix things to get their motors running sooner. Well, time is running out. There should be juice, following the Senior Day activities, and the opponent is ripe in 1-10 Kansas.
Dominant D
Since standing strong through the majority of the Big 12 schedule, the OSU defense has done some backsliding. The past three weeks, the Cowboys have allowed 62 points to Oklahoma, 42 points to Iowa State and 45 points to Kansas State. Entering play Friday, OSU ranks No. 120 nationally — out of 129 teams — in passing yards allowed. There have been contributing factors to the struggles, including fatigue from a lack of depth in the secondary. Still, expectations are higher, much higher. In KU, the Cowboys get to face an offense that ranks No. 122 in rushing offense, No. 121 in scoring offense and No. 110 in total offense. It’s a good time to stand strong, again.
JOHN HELSLEY, FOR THE OKLAHOMAN