Oklahoma State quarterback Daxx Garman (12) passes against Iowa State in the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

In the second week of the season, Oklahoma State lost its starting quarterback, junior J.W. Walsh, to a right-foot injury that could keep him off the field until at least November, if not longer.

Such a blow would have devastated lesser teams. But 10th-year Cowboys coach Mike Gundy has his program rolling, and OSU just plugged in Daxx Garman and won four games in a row.

That’s what kind of team Kansas (2-3 overall, 0-2 Big 12) will have to deal with Saturday afternoon at home. The No. 16 Cowboys (4-1, 2-0) haven’t lost since their opener, against defending national champion Florida State.

These days, KU needs all the help it can get, and playing at Memorial Stadium typically means the Jayhawks have a better chance to win than usual (see: 29-game road losing streak). But this week, Kansas will face some serious road warriors.

The Cowboys haven’t played a true road game yet this season. However, they are 18-7 in away games since 2009, and have gone 15-6 on their Big 12 opponents’ home fields. OSU has put up at least 30 points in 21 of its previous 25 road contests. What’s more, in three of its last five road trips, Oklahoma State has scored 50 or more points. Fifty-plus. In away games.

With those numbers in mind, here are five OSU players the Jayhawks will have to keep their eyes on.

No. 12 — Daxx Garman, junior QB

Oklahoma State quarterback Daxx Garman (12) passes against Iowa State in the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

KU and its defensive backs know they are in for an aerial attack vs. OSU’s 6-foot-2, 205-pound quarterback.

Since he replaced Walsh in the second game of the season, Garman has completed 14 passes of 30 or more yards:

• Six of those for 30-39 yards — vs. Iowa State, UTSA and Texas Tech

• Six for 40-47 yards — vs. ISU, Texas Tech and UTSA

• One for 50 yards — vs. Texas Tech

• One for 87 yards — vs. Missouri State

Prior to his insertion into the spotlight, he hadn’t taken an in-game snap since his junior year of high school in 2009. Now in his third year with the OSU program, it didn’t make Garman any less dangerous. He leads the Big 12 in yards per completion (16.0) and yards per attempt (9.38).

In four games, Garman has completed 75 of his 128 throws for 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns while giving up four interceptions.

No. 26 — Desmond Roland, senior RB

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas linebacker Ben Heeney wraps up Oklahoma State running back Desmond Roland during the first quarter on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, he can truck some opposing linebackers on his way to first-down yardage or the end zone.

Last week against Iowa State, Roland scored two touchdowns, making it six games in a row that the RB had reached the end zone. He went for 95 yards on 19 carries.

The big back rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma last December and torched ISU for 219 yards earlier in 2013.

Roland leads OSU with 304 rushing yards, but he is just one of three viable rushing options for the Cowboys, who also use Tyreek Hill (196 rushing yards) and Rennie Childs (153 rushing yards).

No. 24 — Tyreek Hill, junior athlete

A lot of times on football recruiting sites, you’ll see high school players listed as “athletes” rather than associating them with a particular position. Well, that’s what Oklahoma State does with its 5-foot-10, 185-pound speed demon.

Hill enrolled at OSU for the spring semester and won the Big 12 indoor track title in the 200-meter dash. His football coach, Gundy, said even before the season began that the Cowboys are fortunate to have him on the roster.

“He’s very fast. We’ll play him at a running back position. We’ll play him at the receiver position,” Gundy said this summer, “and we look forward to him helping us in special teams.”

The former Garden City Community College star returns kicks (351 yards) and punts (129 yards), and gets plenty of touches on offense. Hill has 14 receptions for 131 yards and a TD, as well as 196 rushing yards on 38 carries (5.2 average).

He has picked up 10 first downs for OSU this season.

No. 7 — Brandon Sheperd, junior WR

A 6-foot-1 target for Garman, he leads Oklahoma State with 16 receptions, 277 yards and 12 first-down plays.

Sheperd just went for eight receptions and 91 yards against Iowa State.

After getting more reps in practices than on game days in 2013, he had a breakout performance against Missouri State in September, with four catches — one for an 87-yard TD.

No. 10 — Seth Jacobs, sophomore WLB

His 46 career tackles are only sixth among current OSU defensive players, but the 6-2, 220-pound linebacker has only been at this for a season and a half.

Jacobs can take away passes and snuff out opponent runs. He has 35 total tackles this season and 24 of them have come on running plays.

But the guy has already intercepted two passes this season, too. Jacobs picked off Heisman Trophy-winner Jameis Winston of Florida State in his sophomore debut and also had a late-game pick against Texas Tech.

He had 10 tackles against the Red Raiders.