Oklahoma State enters its bye week 3-1, ranked No. 19 and riding a three-game winning streak. But the Cowboys aren't a finished product. From run defense and penalties to turnovers and finishing drives, here are four areas OSU must improve before returning to Big 12 play.
Oklahoma State could hardly have asked for a better position entering its first bye week under Eric Morris.
The Cowboys are 3-1, ranked No. 19 and have won three straight since their season-opening loss at Tulsa. Their latest performance featured 609 yards of offense and a 41-24 road victory over West Virginia that ended an 18-game Big 12 losing streak.
But the Mountaineers also exposed several areas that could become costly as Oklahoma State gets deeper into conference play.
Morris has repeatedly emphasized that his team is still developing. With no game this weekend, here are four areas OSU should prioritize before returning to Boone Pickens Stadium.
1. Fix the Run Defense
This one wasn't difficult to identify after Morgantown. West Virginia rushed for 335 yards on 66 attempts, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Cam Cook accounted for 193 yards while quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. added 102 and three touchdowns.
The performance was particularly striking because OSU's first three opponents had rushed for only 300 yards combined. West Virginia surpassed that total by itself.
There were still encouraging moments. Skyler Cassity's defense adjusted as the game progressed, generated four sacks and didn't allow a point in the fourth quarter. OSU also forced turnovers on downs on three of West Virginia's final four possessions. But future Big 12 opponents now have plenty of film showing where West Virginia found success.
Oklahoma State doesn't need to completely overhaul a defense that has already shown significant upside. It does need to make sure Morgantown was an outlier rather than the beginning of a trend.
2. Cut Down the Penalties
Oklahoma State survived its mistakes against West Virginia because its offense was explosive enough to overcome them.
That won't always happen. The Cowboys committed nine penalties for 88 yards, compared with just three penalties for 12 yards by West Virginia.
Some came at particularly frustrating times. OSU had a false start after initially lining up for fourth-and-2 on its opening possession. Another false start came with the Cowboys near the goal line in the second half. Those are drive-changing mistakes.
A team capable of producing 609 yards doesn't need to make offense harder on itself. As the competition increases, giving away yardage before the snap or extending opposing possessions can be the difference between winning and losing.
3. Protect the Football
Oklahoma State's biggest weakness through the opening weeks has been turnovers.
The problem was at its worst against Tulsa, when OSU lost two fumbles, threw two interceptions and finished minus-three in turnover margin. Four possessions in Tulsa territory ended without points.
The Cowboys continued giving the ball away even as the offense took off. Entering the West Virginia game, Oklahoma State had already lost seven turnovers, ranking 124th nationally. Then Drew Mestemaker threw another interception Saturday.
Mestemaker has been one of college football's breakout quarterbacks, and his 389-yard, three-touchdown performance against West Virginia was another step forward. But the interception came immediately after Chris Barnes' 52-yard reception had put OSU in position to take its first lead.
West Virginia responded with an 85-yard touchdown drive and went ahead 21-13.
Against the Mountaineers, OSU recovered. Against another ranked Big 12 opponent, one possession could decide everything.
4. Turn More Drives Into Touchdowns
Sam Keltner has been one of Oklahoma State's most reliable weapons. The goal during the bye shouldn't be to need him quite as often.
Keltner went 4-for-4 against West Virginia, making field goals from 19, 29, 30 and 47 yards. OSU actually scored on all five official red-zone trips, which is a positive. But two of those early trips ended with short field goals.
On one possession, Oklahoma State reached the West Virginia 4-yard line before settling for a 19-yard kick. Later, another promising second-half possession reached goal-to-go territory before a false start helped force another field goal.
Against West Virginia, leaving four potential points on the field didn't matter. Eventually, it might.
Oklahoma State's offense has become one of the most explosive units in the country. The Cowboys produced 12 plays of at least 20 yards against West Virginia and have now surpassed 500 total yards in three consecutive games.
The next step is making sure those explosive drives consistently end with seven points.
A Chance to Get Better Without Losing Momentum
The bye arrives at an interesting time. Oklahoma State has gone from an ugly opening loss to three consecutive wins, a national ranking and renewed expectations around the program.
There's no need to reinvent what's working. But run defense, penalties, turnovers and finishing drives are four areas where the Cowboys still have room to grow.
And if OSU can clean them up while maintaining the explosiveness that has defined the past three weeks, the team that emerges from the bye could be more complete than the one that entered it.
