Tracking The Trends: OSU vs. Iowa State

The Oklahoma State football team hosts Iowa State Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Boone Pickens Stadium. A look at some of the streaks and trends heading into the game:
 

Talking Points vs. Iowa State – Offense

• Doak Walker candidate Justice Hill is staking his claim as one of the nation's best running backs this season, ranking No. 7 nationally at 7.49 yards per carry on the season. Hill also leads the league with 577 rushing yards on the season and his career average of 102.8 rushing yards per game is fourth in OSU history for now.

• Hill has the chance to stamp his name further into the record books this week. If he can score a rushing touchdown against Iowa State, then he will break a Big 12 running back record at 12 straight games with a rushing touchdown. It would also bring him closer to the record streak for any Big 12 player, which is 15 games.

• Senior quarterback Taylor Cornelius was outstanding last week, breaking OSU single game records for passing efficiency (min. of 20 attempts) at 262.04 and passing yards per attempt (min. 20 attempts) at 15.6 yards. Both records were previously held by OSU's all-time leading passer, Mason Rudolph. Cornelius did it by throwing for 312 yards and four touchdowns on 15-for-20 passing against Kansas. Through five games, Cornelius ranks No. 5 in the FBS with 1,541 passing yards and ranks among the top 15 in yards per game, total offense, yards per completion, yards per attempt and passing touchdowns.

• Sophomore receiver Tylan Wallace leads the team and ranks No. 7 in the FBS in both total receiving yards (546) and receiving yards per game (109.42). He has also written his name into OSU history already, as he became just the second underclassman in school history to record four straight 100-yard receiving games. He put up 116 yards against Kansas, 123 yards against Texas Tech, 105 against Boise State and had a career-best 166 yards against South Alabama in week two.

• Receiver Landon Wolf stepped into a starting role for the first time last week and turned in great performance. He finished a team high 116 receiving yards on six catches, including a 42-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

Talking Points vs. Iowa State – Defense

• The most impressive aspect of the Cowboy defense this season is its ability to get to the quarterback. Through five games, OSU has totaled 24 sacks to lead the nation. That's five more than second place Ohio State. OSU also has the national lead when it comes to average sacks per game at 4.8 per contest, while the next best sits at 4.25 per game.

• Defensive end Jordan Brailford has led the charge, as his 7.0 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss are both tied for the national lead. Jarrell Owens and Mike Scott have also made significant contributions, as each of them have 3.0 sacks on the year. The trio makes Oklahoma State the only team in the country that has three players with 3.0 or more sacks this season. Brailford's five tackles for loss last week marked the most for any Big 12 player in a game this season and tied for the second-most in OSU history. His 3.0 vs. KU are the third most in OSU history and are the most since Nathan Peterson had three at Baylor in 2007.

• The Cowboys also rank No. 3 in FBS in team tackles for loss with 47 on the year. While sacks contribute to the tackles for loss totals, the OSU defense has an additional 23 tackles for loss outside of those sacks. That total is the most in the Big 12 by eight and gives the team an average of 9.4 tackles for loss per game. If the rest of the season continues at that pace, the 2018 OSU defense will set school records for both team sacks and team tackles for loss.
• In last week's win over Kansas, four Cowboys made their first career start on defense, including DT Enoch Smith, Jr., safety Jarrick Bernard, safety Kolby Peel, and linebacker Devin Harper. The defense performed well as a group, holding Kansas to 3-for-13 on third downs despite new faces at every level of the defense.

• Pressure up front has also helped the Cowboys perform well in the run game, as OSU leads the Big 12 allowing just 113.4 yards per game on the ground.

Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Iowa State Game

• Oklahoma State has won 22 of its last 27 games overall.
• OSU is 15-2 in its last 17 games decided by less than 10 points.
• OSU has won 19 straight games when leading at halftime, a streak that began on Sept. 17, 2016.
• OSU has won seven straight road games, the third-longest streak in OSU history.
• Justice Hill has at least one rushing touchdown in each of his last 11 games.
• Justice Hill has rushed for at least 100 yards in four of five games this season, in 11 of his last 15 games and in 15 of his last 22 games.
• Matt Ammendola has made 20 of his last 21 field goal attempts, and 22 of his last 24 tries.
• OSU has won three straight overtime games.
• OSU has had at least one 100-yard receiver in nine of its last 10 games.
• OSU has had a 100-yard rusher in 13 of its last 19 games.
• OSU has outrushed its opponent in 15 of its last 19 games and in 17 of its last 22 games.
• Oklahoma State has won 36 of its last 46 games overall, dating back to the end of the 2014 season.
• OSU has forced at least one turnover in 32 straight games and in 41 of the last 42 games, dating to 2015.
• Dating back to 2005, the Cowboys have won 34 of their last 36 games when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to 2008, the Cowboys have won 58 of their last 63 games when winning the turnover battle.
• Dillon Stoner has at least one catch in each of his last 17 games.