HEADLINE

No. 21 Oklahoma State looks to run over Texas Tech

Field Level Media

October 01, 2019 at 5:16 pm.

In 14 seasons under coach Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State offenses have deployed a high-flying aerial assault led by quarterbacks such as Mason Rudolph and Brandon Weeden who could sling the football all over the field.

This season is a bit different when the Cowboys have possession, with a good chance the ball won’t even be put in the air.

No. 21 Oklahoma State (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) brings a not-so-secret weapon and a top-notch rushing attack into Saturday’s game against host Texas Tech (2-2, 0-1) in Lubbock.

Cowboys running back Chuba Hubbard has been the anchor of the nation’s sixth-ranked rushing attack (291.0 yards per game) for an offense that long has been renowned for its passing prowess.

In Saturday’s 26-13 home win over Kansas State, Cowboys quarterback Spencer Sanders passed for 153 yards — 145 of them on eight catches by standout receiver Tylan Wallace.

However, in 2019 the offense all comes down to the speedy Hubbard, who has competed as a sprinter on the world level and is a member of the Cowboys’ track team.

The 6-foot-1, 207-pound sophomore rushed for 296 yards on 25 carries against the Wildcats, and he has tallied 938 yards on 128 attempts (7.3 per carry) and scored 10 touchdowns this season.

A native of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, Hubbard has shown a propensity for big plays. He has TD runs of 84, 75 and 53 yards, and his blazing speed has produced three 200-yard outings in five games.

“He’s a special kid,” said OSU offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson. “He sent me a text early in the week and he said, ‘Hey coach, whatever it takes to win, I’ll take the ball 30 times, I’ll take it five times.’

“That’s just a good measure of his character and what he wants to do for this football team.”

Texas Tech will hope to rebound and play some semblance of defense after a disastrous weekend in Norman against the Oklahoma Sooners.

OU quarterback Jalen Hurts tallied 415 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-24 passing, receivers CeeDee Lamb and Charleston Rambo torched the secondary in 100-yard performances, and the Sooners piled up yardage, outgaining the Red Raiders 644-314 in a 55-16 rout.

It was that kind of day for Texas Tech coach Matt Wells and his team, which was playing short-handed.

Quarterback Alan Bowman missed the game with a shoulder injury, and junior Jett Duffey put up pedestrian numbers as the Red Raiders fell behind 34-10 at halftime.

Duffey was 11 for 20 for 120 yards as the Air Raid offense created by former Red Raiders coach Mike Leach and reinstituted by Kliff Kingsbury was grounded by the Sooners.

Wells said Duffey will start going forward and added that the signal-caller was aggressive and gives the team the best chance to win.

However, Wells was disappointed his team didn’t respond better after a bye week before the Oklahoma game.

“That wasn’t the result we wanted to begin Big 12 Conference play,” Wells said on Monday. “It wasn’t the start we wanted at the beginning of the game. We own it. I own it as the head coach.”

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