Oklahoma State football: 3 keys to a Cowboys victory at West Virginia

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STILLWATER, OK – SEPTEMBER 26: Running back Chuba Hubbard #30 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys hurdles defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor #90 of the West Virginia Mountaineers for a 23-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter on September 26, 2020 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Hubbard ran for 101-yards as OSU won 27-13. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

Key No. 2: Win the field position battle

Starting field position is often overlooked by fans, but it can have a significant impact on a football game. The field position battle figures to be an important one in a game that features two strong defensive units on either side of the field.

OSU punter Tom Hutton has averaged 41.6 yards per kick and has booted at least a 50-yard punt in almost every Cowboys game so far this year. The junior from Australia and OSU’s coverage team has struggled in pinning opponents inside the 20, though.

The Cowboys offense has averaged under 400 yards per game this season, and it won each of its first six games without scoring more than 32 points in a single contest. While the rushing attack has been stellar behind Warren, the downfield passing game hasn’t been as consistent.

Wide receiver Brennan Presley hasn’t shown his full abilities in returning punts this season, having returned 14 punts overall for an average of only 4.85 yards per return.

Facing a strong West Virginia defense, the Cowboys can’t afford to make any costly special teams errors. On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys need to make sure they don’t give Doege, a fifth-year senior quarterback, any easy opportunities to score for the Mountaineers.

According to FootballOutsiders.com, West Virginia ranks No. 103 in the nation (and second-to-last in the Big 12) in overall special teams efficiency, while OSU ranks No. 67.

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