Boise State @ Oklahoma State preview

No. 17 Boise State needs a marquee victory to aid its hope of landing in a New Year's Six bowl, and the opportunity is presented when it visits No. 19 Oklahoma State on Saturday in Stillwater. The contest figures to be a high-scoring affair as the Broncos have averaged 59 points in their two victories, while the Cowboys are clicking at 56.5 per game.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy is very concerned about a veteran Boise State team and is expecting a supreme test for his own squad. "This is, in my opinion, a very good year for them," Gundy said of the Broncos at a press conference. "They've got a lot of players back, the quarterback is experienced, mature and they're top 10 or so offensively and probably top 10 defensively. Hopefully we can play the very best that we can and we're going to need to play at a high level in order for us to give ourselves a chance to win." Broncos coach Bryan Harsin isn't buying into the national narrative that the matchup is crucial because it is Group of 5 (Boise State) versus Power 5 (Oklahoma State). "That’s not the way we think about it,” Harsin told reporters. “Our mentality is regardless of the logo they have on the side of their helmet, we’ve got to go figure out a way to play to the best of our ability."

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Oklahoma State -2.5

ABOUT BOISE STATE (2-0): Senior quarterback Brett Rypien is off a terrific start by passing for 667 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception and he helped the Broncos roll up a school-record 818 yards in last Saturday's 62-3 trouncing of Connecticut. "It felt amazing to see our offense click and to be out there having fun," junior running back Alexander Mattison (team-best 171 rushing yards) told reporters. "We pride ourselves on going out there and executing whether that’s in the run game or the passing game. We went out and were able to make some big plays which felt really good.” The defense is allowing an average of 13.5 points and will have senior defensive tackle David Moa (undisclosed injury) on the field for the first time this season.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (2-0): Senior quarterback Taylor Cornelius has passed for 728 yards in his two career starts and has six touchdown passes against three interceptions. "He has been here so long, and he wants to play as good of a game as he can, mentally," Gundy told reporters. "We run 80 plays a game. We play fast. Lots on the quarterback. There's going to be mistakes. He has a high level of really quiet confidence in my opinion." Sophomore linebacker Calvin Bundage has a team-best 14 tackles for a defense allowing 15 points per game, while redshirt freshman Devin Harper contributed a 24-yard interception return in last Saturday's 55-13 romp over South Alabama.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The teams are meeting for the first time, although Oklahoma State is slated to visit Boise State in 2021.

2. Cowboys freshman WR Tylan Wallace (team-best 14 catches for 214 yards) established career highs of 10 receptions and 166 yards versus South Alabama.

3. Rypien has 16 career 300-yard passing performances, tying Kellen Moore (2008-11) for most in school history.

PREDICTION: Boise State 34, Oklahoma State 31