Tulsa (10-3 in 2016) at No. 10 Oklahoma State (10-3), 7:30 p.m. Thursday (FS1)
Line: Oklahoma State by 18.
Series Record: Oklahoma State leads 39-27-5.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Oklahoma State opens in the top 10 for just the third time in school history. The Cowboys are thinking big after finishing last season with a rout of Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. The Cowboys slipped last year at home against Central Michigan, and the upset loss kept them out of the conversation for a slot in the College Football Playoff. They haven’t forgotten. For Tulsa and third-year coach Philip Montgomery, beating an in-state Power Five rival would be quite a way to launch a season.
KEY MATCHUP
Tulsa’s quarterbacks vs. Oklahoma State’s defense. Tulsa is replacing record-setter Dane Evans with a pair of signal callers, Chad President and Luke Skipper. They have combined to throw five passes at the college level. Oklahoma State typically ranks among the nation’s best in forcing turnovers, so Tulsa’s new quarterbacks will need to be careful.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tulsa: RB D’Angelo Brewer. He rushed for 1,435 yards last season, and with an experienced offensive line and inexperienced quarterbacks, the Golden Hurricane might turn to the ground game more this season.
Oklahoma State: WR James Washington. The first-team preseason AP All-American caught 71 passes for 1,380 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He is among the favorites to win the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s top receiver.
FACTS & FIGURES
The last time the two teams met, inclement weather forced a 12:16 a.m. Central start. The game ended at 3:35 a.m. Oklahoma State won 59-33. … Tulsa has scored at least 40 points in 17 of 26 games under Montgomery, the former Baylor assistant. … The schools first played in 1914. … Oklahoma State’s Justice Hill rushed for 1,142 yards last season, best in the nation among freshmen.
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