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Physical Address
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Dorchester Center, MA 02124
For BYU: The Cougars are 6-0 for the sixth time in school history, and first time since the magical 2020 season. They are ranked No. 13 in both major polls, and are 24-7 under head coach Kalani Sitake when playing as a ranked team.
After going 2-7 in the Big 12 last year, BYU has already surpassed that win total and is atop the league standings, with Iowa State and Texas Tech.
The Cougars defeated SMU 18-15 on a Friday night earlier this season, and are 9-4 in Friday night regular-season games under Sitake. They have won six of their last seven Friday night contests.
For Oklahoma State: The Cowboys are 1-1 in 2024 away from home, and will be playing for the first time since a 38-14 loss to West Virginia in Stillwater on Oct. 5. It is OSU’s first Friday game since it defeated Oregon State to open the 2019 season. However, it has played only 15 Friday games since 1959, and only six of those have occurred in the regular season.
Oklahoma State has won five straight and 11 of its last 14 games when unranked and playing against a team in the Associated Press Top 25. It is 3-0 against BYU all-time, the first win coming in the 1974 Fiesta Bowl and the last coming last year, 40-34 in overtime, in Stillwater.
The Cougars are still banged up a bit on the offensive line, with starting center Connor Pay (foot) out for at least three more weeks and starting right guard Sonny Makasini questionable with an undisclosed injury.
The good news is that BYU is finally at full strength at running back, as LJ Martin, a freshman sensation in 2023, returned to the lineup and shined in the 41-19 win over Arizona last week.
BYU will rely on offensive balance and a stingy defense to extend its winning streak to seven; the Cougars are one of only 11 teams ranked in the top 30 in both scoring offense and scoring defense. They are averaging 34.3 points per game and allowing just 16.3 points per game.
Oklahoma State is looking to spring an upset as a touchdown underdog, having won five straight games against top-25 opponents when competing as an unranked team. This is its first-ever game in Provo.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy was noncommittal when asked which quarterback will get the start — super senior Alan Bowman or sophomore Garret Rangel or freshman Zane Flores — earlier in the week. Several outlets are reporting that it will likely be Rangel, who is 11 of 24 for 141 yards and a touchdown this season.
Ollie Gordon II, Junior, Running Back, OSU: The 6-foot-2, 225-pound product of Fort Worth, Texas, ran roughshod over BYU last year, picking up more than 160 yards and five touchdowns. Embattled after an offseason arrest on suspicion of DUI, Gordon has not been nearly as effective this season, part of the reason why the Pokes are 3-3 and have lost three straight. He led the nation in rushing last year, with 1,732 rushing yards. He had nine 100-yard games and five 150-yard games. If he gets loose on the Cougars Friday night, watch out.
“That (loss to Oklahoma State last year) was a sour taste and a sore sport for us, so this is a chance for us to try to make things right.” — BYU coach Kalani Sitake
“They are having a great year. Kalani is doing a great job. They’re very mature. They’re getting really, really good quarterback play (from Retzlaff), in my opinion, and they have good players. I think they’ve got probably three or four guys that are going to get drafted on the team, just what I see from the naked eye.” — Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy