Pokes Set To Face Fourth Team in a Row Coming of Their Best Game of the Season

STILLWATER – With the 63-17 win over TCU this past weekend, Oklahoma State not only moved to 9-1 on the season and 6-1 in Big 12 play, but they’re now just one win away from a berth in the Big 12 championship game in Arlington, TX.

The last three of those wins came against opponents who were coming off their best performance of the season: the 55-3 win over Kansas came after the Jayhawks nearly shocked the world by beating OU in Lawrence, the 24-3 win over West Virginia came after the Mountaineers upset No. 22 Iowa State 38-31 at home and the 63-17 win over TCU came after the Horned Frogs upset No. 12 Baylor 30-28 at home.

Fast forward to this weekend and the Pokes will travel to Lubbock to face the Red Raiders, who are fresh off a 41-38 win over Iowa State, a game they won on a last-second 62-yard field goal.

This also marks the second-straight week the Pokes will face a quarterback who’s coming off the first start of his career the previous week. Chandler Morris threw for nearly 500 yards in the win against Baylor and Tech quarterback Donovan Smith threw for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Cyclones.

There’s no question that maturity across the board plays into the Pokes’ ability to go out, overcome obstacles and setbacks this season and play well. It’s certainly played a role these past few weeks.

In speaking with both Jarrick Bernard-Converse and Tanner McCalister on Tuesday evening, both of them said it helps to prepare for a team who’s coming off their best game.

“Yes, it highers the game competition and gives us something to look forward to,” Bernard-Converse said.

"Like Jarrick talked about, preparation, and we're also some mature guys. We all at this point kind of understand that we all have a job to do. If everybody does their job, then we know the system defense, and I think that's why we're playing so good right now. When Coach Knowles talks on the headset and gives us adjustments, we just trust in that and hope he knows what he's talking about. As you can see, we think he knows what he's talking about, so we listen and we try to go out there and do the job that he gives us."

Can the Pokes focus in and play well this weekend against the Red Raiders? We’ll see if that maturity and preparation continue to pay off.