Cowboys jump to No. 15 in polls
STILLWATER — Saturday’s 44-21 win over Boise State helped Oklahoma State shoot up to No. 15 in both The Associated Press and coaches’ top 25 polls released on Sunday.
OSU entered the AP poll for the first time last week, at No. 24, before Sunday’s big jump.
The Cowboys are one of four Big 12 teams in the rankings this week, with Oklahoma and West Virginia also in the top 15, and TCU not far behind the Pokes at No. 17.
Oklahoma State will open Big 12 play at 6 p.m. Saturday when Texas Tech visits Boone Pickens Stadium in a game televised by FS1.
Brailford, Bundage competing for sacks and something more
Oklahoma State defenders Jordan Brailford and Calvin Bundage both feel incredibly confident in their ability to pressure the quarterback, an important factor in the Cowboys’ defensive success.
And it’s meaningful for another reason, too.
“You’ll find out at the end of the season why it’s important,” Brailford said with a hint of mischief after recording three sacks on Saturday. “I’m not gonna say much on it, but we definitely have a little competition going.”
Whatever the stakes, Brailford, a junior defensive end, took a significant lead with Saturday’s performance. In the initial postgame statistics report, Brailford was credited with three sacks against Boise State.
On Sunday, the stats were corrected to reflect that one of them belonged to true freshman safety
Jarrick Bernard.
Brailford now has four sacks this season. Bundage, a junior linebacker, has 1.5 sacks for the season after sharing one with Devin Harper on Saturday.
Jarrell Owens has three sacks and Harper has 1.5. The Cowboys have 16 sacks in all through three games.
Redshirt tracker
Three freshmen defensive backs have established themselves as critical parts of Oklahoma State’s defense. Thus, safeties Jarrick Bernard and Kolby Peel, and cornerback Tanner McCalister seem unlikely to redshirt, even with college football’s new rule that allows players to do while participating in four games.
Bernard and Peel are the only freshmen to play in each of OSU’s three games, while McCalister would likely have done the same if not for an injury that kept him out of the season opener.
Here’s a look at where things stand for OSU’s redshirt-eligible players after the Cowboys’ victory over Boise State on Saturday, per OSU’s official participation report. Non-freshmen who are eligible to redshirt but will likely do so only in case of injury, such as safety Malcolm Rodriguez or running back J.D. King, were not included.
Played in three games, can appear in up to one more and redshirt:
Jarrick Bernard, safety, freshman; Kolby Peel, safety, freshman.
Played in two games, can appear in up to two more and redshirt:
Tanner McCalister, freshman.
Played in one game, can appear in up to three more and redshirt:
JayVeon Cardwell, cornerback, freshman; Sean Michael Flanagan, safety, freshman; Tyler Lacy, defensive end, freshman;
Jonathan Shepherd, receiver, freshman; Jason Taylor II, safety, freshman; Kanion Williams, safety, freshman;
Tyrese Williams, offensive lineman, freshman.