MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia snapped a three-game losing streak to Iowa State last Saturday with a 38-31 victory over the Cyclones. Now the Mountaineers (4-4, 2-3) are out to snap a skid double in length, as they ‘re after their first win over No. 11 Oklahoma State since 2014. The Mountaineers beat OSU 34-10 that October. Oklahoma State’s leading rusher in that game? Kansas City Chiefs standout Tyreek Hill. Its leading receiver? James Washington of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Cowboys enter 7-1 and 4-1 in Big 12 play. A win today would leave a strong possibility Oklahoma State enters the Battle of Bedlam against Oklahoma 10-1 overall and 7-1 in the league. The Cowboys play two teams that recently let go of their head coaches — TCU and Texas Tech — the next two weeks.
West Virginia, meanwhile, is riding the momentum of a two-game win streak and has turned its season around since entering its open week 2-4 and winless in the Big 12. Today’s 3:30 p.m. affair on ESPN pits two of the Big 12’s top defenses.
6:40 p.m. — FINAL — OKLAHOMA STATE 24, West Virginia 3. The 11th-ranked Cowboys improve to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big 12. The Mountaineers fall to 4-5 and 2-4 in league play
6:10 p.m. — The Mountaineers lose 2 yards on three plays and their last nine series have netted 32 yards.
6:02 p.m. — Jaylen Warren scores on a 13-yard run and it’s gone from bad to worse for the Mountaineers. West Virginia has 34 yards on its last eight series and now trails by three touchdowns. OKLAHOMA STATE 24, West Virginia 3, 13:20 4th qtr
5:55 p.m. — The Mountaineers punt for a seventh time in nine possessions and have now gone eight straight series without scoring. OSU starts at the WVU 45 to begin the fourth quarter. Today’s attendance is 50,109.
5:40 p.m. — Martin hauls in his second touchdown from Sanders, this one on an extremely well-placed 12-yard throw, and Oklahoma State is in complete control. Cowboys with a 213-88 advantage in total yards. OKLAHOMA STATE 17, West Virginia 3, 5:30 3rd qtr
When in doubt, throw to @_Taymartin1 ?#LetsRide I #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/7qBep6HSkJ
— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) November 6, 2021
5:30 p.m. — The Cowboys get out to their 27 before punting, but Malashevich muffs it and OSU recovers. Oklahoma State will start at the WVU 27 with a prime opportunity to go up two touchdowns, or at the very least, two possessions.
5:25 p.m. — Another exchange of punts to start the second half. Tyler Sumpter gets off one of his better kicks of the season, and his 55-yard boot is downed at the OSU 1. The Cowboys have had their way with the Mountaineer offensive line to this point. OSU has five sacks.
4:57 p.m. — HALFTIME — OKLAHOMA STATE 10, West Virginia 3. The Mountaineers finish the opening half with 61 total yards, including minus-2 rushing yards. They’re 0-for-6 on third down.
4:53 p.m. — Tanner Brown makes a 34-yard field goal and the Cowboys up their lead. West Virginia called two timeouts defensively to preserve time. OSU gets the ball to start the second half. OKLAHOMA STATE 10, West Virginia 3, 1:10 2nd qtr
4:32 p.m. — Tay Martin snags a 7-yard pass from Sanders for the game’s first touchdown. A roughing the passer penalty on Jared Bartlett likely led to a four-point difference as the Cowboys would have otherwise faced fourth-and-2 from the Mountaineers’ 11. OKLAHOMA STATE 7, West Virginia 3, 8:32 2nd qtr
Too strong ?#LetsRide I @_Taymartin1 pic.twitter.com/zlujhc4XK7
— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) November 6, 2021
4:25 p.m. — Another exchange of punts and the Cowboys start on their 47 with 11:07 remaining in the half. Neither team has established an offensive rhythm to this point. West Virginia has 53 yards on 21 plays, though it did have a 26-yard loss on one. The Cowboys have gained 64 yards on 16 snaps.
4:05 p.m. — Dante Stills with an interception after tipping a Spencer Sanders pass and then catching it. However, WVU fails to capitalize after starting at the Cowboys’ 40, and goes three-and-out after losing 15 yards on three plays. Greene was sacked, fumbled, and although Tony Mathis recovered for the Mountaineers, the play resulted in a 26-yard loss.
4:00 p.m. — The teams trade punts and the Cowboys take over at their own 32 with 5:19 left in the opening quarter. Bruce Irvin and Trevon Wesco are both on hand for today’s game.
Always good to have these guys back at Mountaineer Field! #HailWV pic.twitter.com/TUGRzDNDiS
— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) November 6, 2021
3:45 p.m. — The Mountaineers march 64 yards in 11 plays, but a failed third-and-2 run from the Cowboys’ 11 forces them to settle for Casey Legg’s 30-yard field goal. WVU got a 32-yard pass from Jarret Doege to Sam James on the series and a 4-yard pass from Doege to Leddie Brown on fourth-and-3 from the OSU 38. Garrett Greene also played, rushing twice for 11 yards from a diamond backfield with three ball carriers behind him. WEST VIRGINIA 3, Oklahoma State 0, 9:21 1st qtr
3:35 p.m. — Oklahoma State wins the toss and defers to the second half. West Virginia will start with the ball. Captains for the Mountaineers today: Malashevich, linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo, defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor and center Zach Frazier. Offensive lineman Josh Sills is a captain for the Cowboys. Sills was at WVU from 2016-2019.
3:00 p.m. — Wide receiver Isaiah Esdale is not on the dress list today. Esdale has played in each of the first eight games, catching 26 passes for 343 yards and one touchdown. He’s also been the team’s primary punt returner and had the Mountaineers’ longest return of the season last week for 27 yards. Graeseon Malashevich is expected to fill the void as punt returner.
The Mountaineers have arrived at Milan Puskar Stadium to host Oklahoma State: pic.twitter.com/FWHRaQcndA
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) November 6, 2021
1:15 p.m. — West Virginia will retire Major Harris’ No. 9 after the first quarter of today’s game. Harris is set to meet with the media in just over an hour.
what we’re wearing today pic.twitter.com/p2YXsG7lHI
— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) November 6, 2021
Your essential pregame links:
Setting the scene from Morgantown
In pursuit of 3rd straight win, WVU welcomes 11th-ranked Cowboys
Mountaineers’ offensive line playing at higher level since open week
West Virginia wants to hold its own against ‘violent runner’ Jaylen Warren
Three Guys Before the Game – Oklahoma State edition
Notebook: Banks steps up in O’Laughlin’s absence; Milum shines up front