STILLWATER, Okla. – Despite a prolific performance by the offense in a Week 1 rout of Missouri State - including five touchdown passes by its new leader Taylor Cornelius - Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy wants to see more from his senior signal-caller. Cornelius, who led an offense that gained 732 yards against the Bears - the third-highest total in school history - will start again Saturday and continue fine-tuning his game for Big 12 Conference play when the 23rd-ranked Cowboys host South Alabama.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Plus. LINE: Oklahoma State -32
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Cornelius, who spent his entire career behind 2018 third-round NFL Draft pick Mason Rudolph, completed 24-of-34 passes for 300 yards and added a 32-yard run in about three quarters of play last weekend. “I thought that Taylor was average at best,” Gundy told reporters after the game. "I just thought he missed too many throws. In my head, I think he missed six throws. His mental part was good, he just missed some throws.” Certainly not average was junior Justice Hill (led the Big 12 in rushing last season with 1,467 yards), who ran for 122 yards on 10 carries, including a 93-yard run that was the fourth-longest in school history, and Jalen McCleskey (tasked with replacing the production of departed wideouts James Washington and Marcell Ateman), who caught two touchdown passes and ran for a score. South Alabama got three touchdowns from Kawaan Baker and backup quarterback Evan Orth led the Jaguars on a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives, but it was not enough to overcome a double-digit halftime deficit in a 30-26 loss to Louisiana Tech last weekend.
ABOUT SOUTH ALABAMA (0-1)
Orth completed 4-of-6 passes for 44 yards and added runs of 59 and 15 yards on his two carries after being the third quarterback to enter the game. Fellow senior Cole Garvin started but completed only 7-of-16 passes for 47 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Baker scored two TDs on the ground, including a 28-yard scamper, and one on a 3-yard reception.
ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (1-0)
The Cowboys rushed for 431 yards, good for an average of eight yards per carry as LD Brown added 110 yards on nine carries, while J.D. King and Chuba Hubbard combined for 94 yards on 15 carries. The Cowboys' defense under new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles gave up just 260 total yards - 150 passing and 110 rushing - and recorded five sacks and two fumble recoveries. “Defensively, we played pretty good and got out of our gap twice and gave up two really long runs,” Gundy said referring to 29- and 58-yard runs by Missouri State quarterback Peyton Huslig. "We’ve had some issues over the years with (giving up big plays) and we need to try to minimize (those) the best we can."
EXTRA POINTS
1. Hubbard took home Big 12 co-Newcomer of the Week accolades, leading the Cowboys with 149 all-purpose yards on 11 total touches. He finished the game with 65 receiving yards, 42 rushing yards, 42 return yards and a receiving touchdown.
2. Oklahoma State beat South Alabama 44-7 last season in the first-ever meeting, holding the Jaguars to a season-low 175 yards. South Alabama is 1-10 against Power Five teams, with its only win coming at Mississippi State in 2012.
3. Since the Big 12 was formed in 1996, Oklahoma State is 46-4 at home versus non-conference teams.
PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 47, South Alabama 10