Arizona State (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) will be facing off against Oklahoma State (3-5, 0-5) on Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET, an exciting matchup that will be aired on FS1.
BetMGM has Arizona State favored by 3.5 points as they enter the game with a shaky series history, having been narrowly outperformed in previous encounters with Oklahoma State, who leads the all-time series 3-2.
Both squads are eager to rebound after suffering defeats in their latest road games. Arizona State’s starting quarterback, Sam Leavitt, will return to action after recovering from a rib injury sustained in a victory over Utah on October 11. He missed the following game, where the Sun Devils fell to Cincinnati by a score of 24-14. Meanwhile, Oklahoma State is on the brink of jeopardizing its chance at a bowl game after losing five consecutive matches, marking their worst streak since 2014. They must win three of their last four games to maintain the active bowl streak, which is currently the sixth longest in the nation.
A critical point of contention in the game will be the battle between Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo and the Oklahoma State defensive line. Skattebo leads the Big 12 with an impressive average of 161.6 total yards per game, accumulating 862 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns along with 23 receptions for 283 yards. In contrast, the Cowboys’ defense recently struggled, surrendering 343 rushing yards to Baylor, a situation worsened by 21 missed tackles leading to 258 yards gained by the Bears.
In terms of standout players to keep an eye on, Arizona State’s wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is a name to note. The redshirt sophomore, previously with Colorado, has tallied 31 catches for 477 yards and four touchdowns this season. Arizona State’s head coach, Kenny Dillingham, emphasized the necessity of involving Tyson more in play, highlighting his potential impact. On the other side, Oklahoma State’s running back Ollie Gordon I, the previous season’s top running back award recipient, is beginning to find his stride after a slow start to the season. He recently rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns against BYU, followed by 77 yards and two touchdowns against Baylor in his last two outings.
As for notable statistics surrounding the matchup, this Saturday marks homecoming for Oklahoma State. Additionally, the Cowboys’ offensive lineman Isaia Glass, who made the transition from Arizona State, is slated to start at left tackle against his former team. Skattebo’s performance has seen him accumulate 695 yards after contact, ranking seventh in the FBS according to Sportradar. However, the Cowboys are struggling defensively, ranking 132nd out of 133 FBS teams in total defense, allowing an average of 499.9 yards and 251 rushing yards per game.