Vitals: Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Baylor Bears

Everything you need to know as the Bears and Cowboys square off for the top spot in the Big 12 South.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:01 pm

By: News On 6

Vitals: Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Baylor Bears

Originally Published: Nov 5, 2010 7:8 PM CDT

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

Baylor Bears (7-2) Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-1)
11:30 a.m. CST
T. Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, Oklahoma

Returning Statistical Leaders:

	Baylor	Oklahoma State
Passing	Robert Griffin 196-294, 2,592 yards, 20 TDs, 5 INTs	Brandon Weeden 195-299, 2,547 yards, 23 TDs, 9 INTs
Rushing	Jay Finley 120 rushes, 813 yards, 6 TDs	Kendall Hunter 189 rushes, 1,174 yards, 12 TDs
Receiving	Kendall Wright 51 receptions, 702 yards, 6 TDs	Justin Blackmon 62 receptions, 1,112 yards, 14 TDs

Injury Report:

Baylor: CB Chance Casey (leg, questionable); LB Elliot Coffey (ankle, questionable); DL Terrance Lloyd (knee, doubtful).

Oklahoma State: WR Hubert Anyiam (ankle, quest); S Victor Johnson (knee, season).

Where to Find It:

On TV: Fox Sports Network
On Radio: Cowboy Radio Network

What You Need to Know?.

These aren’t the Baylor Bears of recent years. The last time the Bears were bowl eligible, most of the players were in elementary school. Baylor ranks 10th in the nation in passing offense, averaging more than 303 yards per game through the air. That matchup bodes well for the Bears, who come in to Stillwater to take on the Cowboys, who rank near the bottom of the nation in pass defense.

Oklahoma State continues to be one of the nation’s elite offenses well into the twilight of the season. The Cowboys rank in the top half of the nation six offensive categories and are top 15 in four. OSU averages 45.25 points per game, while allowing just 28.5 points per game.

Who You Need to Watch?

It’s safe to say that quarterback Robert Griffin is the key to Baylor’s success this season. Griffin has accounted for 23 plays of 30 yards or more this season, including 15 passing and one rushing touchdown. He also ranks third nationally in total offense and 15th in pass efficiency. However, he’s not doing all of the work by himself. Running back Jay Findley averages 6.8 yards per carry and has found the end zone six times through nine games this season.

Justin Blackmon is coming off of a one-game suspension for a DUI and will try to continue his record-setting pace this season. Even factoring in zero yards for the game he missed due to suspension, Blackmon would still lead the nation in yards per game by two yards. Punters are rarely players to watch, but Quinn Sharp can flip field position in a hurry. The sophomore punter is fifth in the nation in punting, averaging 47 yards per punt through nine games.