West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State: Game Grades, Analysis for WVU and Cowboys

The final score wasn't very telling of how this game actually played out, as Oklahoma State had a chance to win in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys made great adjustments after getting down early 14-0, but they ultimately did not have enough offense in a 34-10 loss.

West Virginia is usually known for its passing attack, but it was the ground game that got going Saturday. The Mountaineers, led by Wendell Smallwood's 132 yards, rushed for 210 yards and one touchdown as a team.

The run game allowed them to control the ball for 33 minutes, 39 seconds of the game and helped them sustain drives with timely third-down conversions.

Oklahoma State quarterback Daxx Garman looked good when he was in rhythm, but he was inaccurate in the second half.

You can find the full box score here, courtesy of NCAA.com.

Game Grades and Analysis for the West Virginia Mountaineers

Position Unit	First-Half Grade	Final Grade
Passing Offense	B-	B
Rushing Offense	B	B+
Pass Defense	C	B
Run Defense	C-	C
Special Teams	B	A
Coaching	C	B+

Passing Offense

Saturday's game showed a national audience that West Virginia isn't your typical spread attack. The Mountaineers proved that they can run the ball effectively, but the passing offense played well also.

Clint Trickett finished the game 21-of-30 for 238 yards and two touchdowns. Kevin White, one of the nation's top receivers, was held to just 27 yards, but that didn't stop Trickett from having a good day.

Rushing Offense

Anyone who watched the performance by West Virginia's rushing attack Saturday had to be impressed. The Mountaineers went for 210 yards on 44 carries and controlled the line of scrimmage.

The effectiveness of the run game allowed the Mountaineers to control the ball for more than 33 minutes in this game and gave them balance on offense. West Virginia can be a dangerous team moving forward if the run game continues to be this productive.

Pass Defense

Oklahoma State was successful at times through the air, but the Mountaineers made plays when they had to. Garman threw for 242 yards and a touchdown, but the Cowboys also forced him into two interceptions.

Run Defense

The Cowboys had a few long runs and ended the day with 194 total yards on the ground. West Virginia could have done better against the run, but it received an average grade because it didn't allow Oklahoma State to consistently pound the ball on the ground.

Although the Cowboys finished with nearly 200 rushing yards, Oklahoma State didn't get a rushing touchdown in this game.

Special Teams

Josh Lambert was 2-of-2 on his kicks, and the punting was solid on Saturday. Punter Nick O'Toole averaged 41.1 yards per punt, and he pinned the Cowboys within the 20-yard line five times.

Coaching

West Virginia received an average grade for the first half because the coaches didn't make adjustments when Oklahoma State did. The Cowboys found a way to get pressure on Trickett, and the Mountaineers stalled out in the second quarter.

After halftime, however, the staff stuck with the running game, and it resulted in the offense controlling the ball for a big chunk of the second half. 

Game Grades and Analysis for the Oklahoma State Cowboys

Position Unit	First-Half Grade	Final Grade
Passing Offense	B-	C-
Rushing Offense	B	B
Pass Defense	C+	C
Run Defense	C-	D
Special Teams	B	B
Coaching	B+	C

Pass Offense

An array of short passes helped Oklahoma State move the ball through the air in the first half. The Cowboys looked well passing the ball on some drives, but Garman couldn't get much going in the second half.

Rushing Offense

West Virginia's success on the ground seemed to overshadow the positive things the Cowboys did running the ball.

Tyreek Hill finished with 78 yards despite playing through cramps, and Desmond Roland had 37 yards on 12 carries.

Pass Defense

In one aspect, one could applaud the effort by Oklahoma State's secondary in shutting down White, but overall, West Virginia wound up with good passing numbers.

Trickett threw for 238 yards, and the Cowboys secondary didn't force any interceptions.

Run Defense

The Mountaineers had their way on the ground, and the Cowboys couldn't get off the field on third down. West Virginia controlled the game because of the ability to run the ball, so the Cowboys didn't receive a good grade.

Oklahoma State's offense could have used some stops from its defense on third down, but that unit just couldn't get the ball back.

Special Teams

The punting in this game was phenomenal on both sides. Oklahoma State punter Kip Smith averaged 52.6 yards per punt and pinned four of those punts inside the 20-yard line. Ben Grogan missed a field goal, but the punting numbers still gave this team a solid grade.

Coaching

The coaching staff did an excellent job of slowing down West Virginia's offense in the second quarter, but ultimately the Mountaineers found ways to score points.

It's hard to blame a lot on coaching when a team has inexperienced players, so this staff deserved an average grade for the day.