Winners and Losers From The Oklahoma State-Texas Tech Game

Oklahoma State squeezed past Texas Tech 45-44 on Saturday in the 2016 finale in Boone Pickens Stadium. This helped the Big 12 (we think?) position itself well for the CFB Playoff as three of the top four teams fell later in the day. Here is a look at who else won and lost this week as OSU moved to 8-2*.

Kyle Porter

Winner: Greg Adkins (I almost called him Joe) — Oklahoma State’s offensive line has obviously not been very good over the last two years, but they have showed out in the last few weeks. OSU is cruising around on the ground right now and the OL is creating space for Justice Hill to roam. They are also doing a much better job protecting Mason Rudolph (four sacks in the last three games) and as a result the Pokes have had two straight games averaging 9.0 yards per play or better. The same number they had in … 2011.

Loser: Patrick Mahomes — Why was Patrick Mahomes a loser? Well, he lost because it was clear that he does not have the receivers Mason Rudolph has. Drops and bobbled passes were prominent all over the field on Saturday as the best passer in the country labored to just under 350 yards. Mahomes is great (obviously), but his partners on Saturday were not, and it might have cost them the game against a top 15 OSU team.

Winner: Chris Lacy — We cannot possibly say enough good things. I want winners! And he’s a winner. The best WR4 (or WR5) in the league.

Kyle Cox

Winner: Mike Gundy — He owns the Red Raiders to the tune of eight straight. He also wins the ironically cool haircut/overall style. He told he had created a monster in Stillwater but it wasn’t what we all thought. His tucked in bowl game pullover is going to have to be custom made to tuck that thing in. #BowlSeasonFlow

Gundy looks incredible right now. The full mullet flow. The old throwback sweatshirt. Big 12 title on the line. pic.twitter.com/pHfMDE5Pde

— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguys) November 12, 2016

Winner: Mason Rudolph –He had another (almost) 400-yard game and two touchdowns on an efficient 20/28. He puts these numbers up so often we get complacent about how good he’s been. He is now 20-5 as a starter (.800). With the off chance that he does to take his talents to Sundays, hopefully Cowboy fans will pay attention these last couple games. He may wow you.

Loser: Kliff Kingsbury — Kliff’s “on-the-nose” cool is once again beat out by a middle-aged man who tucks his mullet, sweater, etc. He probably tucks his socks in.

Loser: Run defense depth — With Chad Whitener sidelined due to an apparent injury. Justin Phillips had a big game, but overall the Cowboy run defense was not as good as it could have been with Whitener. It had a lot to do with scheming as well. Glenn Spencer used West Virginia’s three-three stack model for good chunks. But you’ve gotta think Whitener could have helped. Hopefully he’ll be ready for the Ft. Worth trip.

Caleb Deck

Winner: Patrick Mahomes II — He may not have won the ballgame this week, but he had about as good of a day as you can have without getting a “W.” Killed it on the stats side once again with 344 yards, 3 TDs, no picks and a QB rating of 142.7 while his receivers couldn’t seem to catch a thing. Not too shabby.

But the most amazing and important thing that happened for ol’ Pat this week was getting the Mullet Seal of Approval. Gundy told him that he could arrange for an agent if Mahomes needed one, sufficiently solidifying his place in the Gundy network of QBs which includes Brandon Weeden, Zac Robinson, himself, and I’m assuming probably John Elway, Peyton Manning, and Kurt Warner. Heck of a week for the QB who came up a bit short.

Loser: Jeff Carr — This is not by any fault of his own and I truly like Jeff Carr and am so glad he is on the team. Unfortunately the success on the ground this week did not help his efforts to see the field more. Justice Hill is the best freshman in the history of the world, Chris Carson is back with a vengeance and well-defined role as a linebacker-crusher and knee-taker, and now we have Rennie Childs going 25 yards on two carries in the middle of games?

Poor Jeff has fallen down the pecking order once again with this renewed running game. Hopefully he continues to work hard and stick with it as his attitude seems to be top notch and he’s a classy guy, but I’m not foreseeing next year as being any easier to get in the lineup with Chubba Hubbard and JD King incoming.

This is a great problem to have because it means the team has found somewhat of a successful scheme for running the ball, but I feel for Jeff as a player. I hope the coaching staff finds ways to get him in the mix, possibly in some draw or screen situations, but sadly for now we may not see much of the hard-working Mr. Carr.

Kyle Boone

Winner: Chris Carson — I think Carson was the winner from Saturday. Justice Hill has proven he should be the primary ball carrier for the Pokes, but Carson, who had 10 carries and averaged more than 7 yards a pop, is proving to be the explosive, powerful runner everyone expected him to be out of junior college.

Loser: Special teams — Oklahoma State allowed a critical fourth-down conversion on a fake punt for the second time this season. It was a good fake, but the lack of preparation is concerning. If Tech had gone for two after their final score late in the game, it wouldn’t have surprised me a bit. They need to sharpen up both in special teams returns and defending potential fakes.