Postgame Notes: Oklahoma State 45 - Cincinnati 13

Final Score: Oklahoma State 45, Cincinnati 13

Updated Records: Oklahoma State 6-2 overall (4-1 Big 12); Cincinnati 2-6 overall (0-5 Big 12)

Postgame Notes

• Behind another huge game from Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State defeated Cincinnati, 45-13, on Saturday for its largest conference victory since beating TCU, 63-17, on November 13, 2021.
• With the win, Oklahoma State moved into a five-way tie for first place in the Big 12 alongside Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas State and Iowa State.
• The win made OSU bowl eligible for an 18th straight year, extending a school-record streak and the sixth-longest active streak in the nation.
• Noting Ollie Gordon II’s performance against Cincinnati on Saturday:
• Recorded 25 carries for 271 yards and two touchdowns along with four catches for 21 yards
• Just the second player in program history with back-to-back games of 250+ rushing yards, joining Barry Sanders in 1988
• Joins Boston College’s Andre Williams (2013) as the only two FBS players over the last 20 seasons with 250 scrimmage yards in three straight games
• Most rushing yards in a two-game span (553) since Barry Sanders posted 625 yards against Iowa and Texas Tech in 1988
• Made him the only player among Power Five conferences with multiple 200+ yard games on the ground this season
• Reached 1,000 rushing yards for the season in just eight games, the quickest Cowboy to surpass the mark since Chuba Hubbard needed just six games in 2019
• Joins Chuba Hubbard as the only Cowboy since 2010 with five straight games of 100+ rushing yards
• Has posted 11 total touchdowns in the past four games, including multiple scores in three straight
• After adding an interception and forced fumble against Cincinnati, OSU has forced 10 total turnovers in its past four games, while the offense has turned the ball over just three times.
• Cincinnati entered Saturday with the country’s 18th-best rushing defense, allowing just 100.7 rushing yards per game. Oklahoma State totaled 315 yards on the ground, which is the most allowed by the Bearcats since Navy posted 569 yards in 2017.
• After posting 48 points last week against West Virginia, the Cowboys have scored 40+ points in consecutive games for the first time since games against TCU and Texas on October 15-22, 2022.
• Following its second consecutive game without allowing a sack, the Cowboy offensive line has surrendered just one sack in the past four games.
• OSU entered Saturday with 26 total points scored in the third quarter throughout the season, but pushed across 21 points in the third quarter against the Bearcats.
• The Cowboys struck first for the fifth straight game as Alan Bowman found Josiah Johnson for 29-yard score to put OSU up, 7-0, early. The play marked Johnson’s first touchdown as a Cowboy and his first since November 13, 2021, against Maine while playing for Massachusetts. Additionally, the 29-yard gain was Johnson’s longest catch at OSU.
• With the five-play, 64-yard touchdown drive on its first possession, Oklahoma State has scored on its opening drive in four straight games. On the flipside, the Cowboy defense has held its opponent scoreless on its opening drive in five straight games and has surrendered a score just once this season.
• Following a 7-7 opening quarter against the Bearcats, Oklahoma State has not trailed after the first 15 minutes of play in a Big 12 game this season.
• Just before the half, the Cowboy defense preserved its 10-7 lead when Collin Oliver recovered a fumble that was forced by Nathan Latu, each the first of their careers.
• Brennan Presley added to the lead early in the third quarter with a 15-yard touchdown catch from Alan Bowman, his third receiving score in as many games. With five receiving touchdowns on the season, Presley has already matched his season-high total from 2021.
• Late in the third quarter, Brennan Presley found the end zone for a second time with a 1-yard run, his first rushing score of the season and fourth of his career. It was also the 20th total touchdown of his career.
• At the 10:36 mark of the third quarter, Cameron Epps reeled in his team-high third interception of the season.
• Playing in his fourth game at OSU, Leon Johnson III made his first FBS start on Saturday after spending the last four years at George Fox in NCAA Division III. Johnson III hauled in his first FBS reception with three minutes remaining in the first quarter and finished the game with five catches for 149 yards, including a 67-yard gain in the second quarter. He was the first player to surpass 100 yards in his first OSU start since Tay Martin did so against Missouri State on September 4, 2021.
• Nickolas Martin posted a team-high 12 tackles along with a sack and two tackles for loss on Saturday.
• Elijah Collins found the end zone for the second time this season and 13th time in his career with a 26-yard rush late in the fourth quarter.
• Jalen Pope, Cooper Lai, Jack Endean, Viliami Makahununiu, Davis Dotson, Mason Gilkey, Andrew McCall, Landon Dean, Marcus Duckworth and RJ Lester all played in their first career games on Saturday.
• Cale Cabbiness and DeSean Buckner both made their first appearances of the season, while Elijah Wright played in his first FBS game after playing at Central Oklahoma in 2021.
• Oklahoma State’s game captains against the Bearcats were Rashod Owens, Nickolas Martin, Xavier Ross and Jeff Roberson.

The Oklahoma State Win...

• Moved the Cowboys into a tie for first place in the Big 12 standings.
• Made it bowl eligible for an 18th straight year, extending a school-record streak and the sixth-longest active streak in the nation.
• Improved its record in Homecoming games to 58-38-6. It also gave the Cowboys wins in seven of their past eight and 13 of their past 16 on Homecoming.
• Improved Mike Gundy's record in October games to 50-21.
• Improved Mike Gundy's record in home games to 93-29.
• Improved its record against Cincinnati to 3-1 and its record vs. UC in Stillwater to 1-1.
• Gave it back-to-back wins against Cincinnati, with wins in 1983 and 2023.
• Gave it wins in 18 of its past 20 and 21 of its past 24 games played at Boone Pickens Stadium.
• Improved Mike Gundy's record against Cincinnati to 1-0.
• Improved Mike Gundy's record in Big 12 games to 99-62. The 99 career Big 12 wins moved him past Mack Brown to stand alone with the third-most in the history of the conference. Only Bob Stoops (121) and Bill Snyder (104) have more.
• Made it 27-10 in its past 37 games overall, dating back to the 2020 season.
• Made it 91-23 in its past 114 games vs. opponents outside of the AP Top 25, dating to 2010.
   

Notable Streaks and Trends

• Ollie Gordon II has rushed for more than 100 yards in five straight games.
• The Cowboys have forced ten turnovers in the past four games.
• OSU has held 33 of its past 38 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average entering the game.
• OSU has won 85 consecutive games when holding its opponent to fewer than 20 points, dating back to Sept. 13, 2003 – the longest active stretch of time in the FBS and longest since at least 1980. Including games when opponents have scored 20 points or fewer, the streak begins at the same date and includes 92 games.
• OSU has held its opponent scoreless on its game-opening drive in 37 of its past 52 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third down conversion rate in 43 of its past 46 games.
• OSU is 47-8 in its past 55 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• Over the past 45 games, OSU has held opponents to 208-for-692 (30.1%) on third down.