Big 12 Football: Each team’s trap and peak games in 2021

Oklahoma State

Trap Game: at. Texas Tech

The team that did not benefit to the COVID-19 riddled season and off-season was Oklahoma State, especially on offense. The Cowboys lost their top two playmakers in Tylan Wallace and Chuba Hubbard.

Even with an 8-3 record and Cheez-It Bowl win over Miami (Fl.), it seemed like Oklahoma State finished below expectations, when being mentioned numerous of times about being a favorite to upset Oklahoma. Some close losses dampened the season, but were a gritty team, that one a lot of close games.

The Cowboys and Red Raiders combined for 94 points last season and have to travel to Jones AT&T Stadium this season.

The Cowboys are in a weird funk, where they are middle of the road, in just about every statistical category in the conference. It’s bad timing schedule wise as well, with the following week being Bedlam in Stillwater.

If the Cowboys don’t look ahead, they could get upset by Texas Tech.

Peak Game: at. Iowa State

One of two conference losses for the Cyclones last year came to the hands of Oklahoma State. It was Oklahoma State’s best defensive performance as well, holding Purdy to 162 passing yards on 34 attempts.

The Cowboys still have quite a bit of experience on defense and it carried them to victories in the majority of their close contests.

They ranked third in the conference in pass defense and bring back the entire secondary, led by All-Big 12 safety Tre Sterling and Kolby Harvell-Peel.

Leading tackler Malcolm Rodriguez returns and the unit as a whole should get better. That’s the key in keeping up with an offense, that can either be explosive or pedestrian.

Keeping them pedestrian more often than not can keep a team like Oklahoma State in the game.