West Virginia @ Oklahoma State preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2013 ) Oklahoma State 21, West Virginia 30

West Virginia, fresh off a convincing 41-27 victory over then-No. 4 ranked Baylor, travels to Oklahoma State on Saturday in a battle of two of the three teams tied for second place in the Big 12 Conference. It's only fitting that the No. 25 Mountaineers are visiting Stillwater, Okla., on Homecoming for the Cowboys. West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy in 2010 when the Cowboys went 11-2 and defeated Arizona 36-10 in the Alamo Bowl.

Although Holgorsen developed his coaching reputation for helping to develop high-scoring offenses, it was West Virginia's defense which was the difference in the upset of Baylor. "Holding Baylor to 318 yards on (79) plays is not something I thought we would be able to do," Holgorsen admitted to the Charleston Gazette. The Mountaineers will be facing an Oklahoma State offense that has struggled badly since the loss of starting quarterback J.W. Walsh to a foot injury, losing 42-9 last week at Texas Christian which snapped a FBS-best streak of 58 consecutive games of scoring at least 20 points in a game.

TIME: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Pick

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (5-2, 3-1 Big 12): Quarterback Clint Trickett passed for 300 or more yards in a school-record eight straight games, including 322 yards and three touchdowns against Baylor. His favorite target, 6-foot-3 senior wide receiver Kevin White, is the national leader in receiving yards per game (145.7) and is No. 2 in receptions per game (9.9). The Mountaineers' defense, which ranks 17th nationally in forcing an average of 4.7 three-and-outs per game, is led by defensive end Shaquille Riddick, a 6-foot-6, 242-pound senior transfer from Gardner-Webb who garnered Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors after compiling five tackles and three sacks against Baylor.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (5-2, 3-1): Junior quarterback Daxx Garman, a transfer from Arizona who hadn't played in a competitive game since his junior year of high school until this season, has struggled, passing for 132 yards in the loss at TCU and failing to complete a pass after halftime. Part of the problem is he's playing behind an offensive line that features four new starters and his receiving corps is also unproven. RB/KR Tyreek Hill, who won the Big 12 Indoor 200 meters title, has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, including a game-winning TD at Kansas, and rushed for 52 yards on a season-high 11 carries at TCU.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Oklahoma State has won five straight and 23 of its last 25 games at Boone Pickens Stadium.

2. White has a school-record seven straight games of 100 or more receiving yards, the longest active streak in the nation.

3. West Virginia PK Josh Lambert ranks No. 2 nationally in field goals made per game, having connected on 16-of-21 attempts, including four of 50-plus yards.

PREDICTION: West Virginia 34, Oklahoma State 20