photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas captains walk out to the field against UCF Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Lawrence.

For Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, stopping the Kansas rushing attack means focusing on the triple option.

As he sees it, KU offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is a “traditional wishbone guy,” and much of the success the Jayhawks have had in recent weeks — most recently, they put up a 399-yard performance against UCF last Saturday — stems from the classic concepts of a triple-option offense.

“If you look at what they do with the different types of run plays they have, (they) are tied into triple option for the most part,” Gundy said this week. “They’re doing it off of some pull plays. They’ve revolutionized it a little bit from pulling guards, and pulling guards and tackles and still running option off the backside of that. What they’re doing is really, really good.

“They’re good at it. It’s a little different and unique. So, it’s a really tough preparation during the week to get prepared for what they do.”

Certainly, the Jayhawks challenge opposing defenses by deploying a variety of personnel with different skill sets, working Devin Neal, Daniel Hishaw Jr., Dylan McDuffie and their quarterbacks into the run game, and moving blockers around to throw defenses off. And this isn’t the first time an opponent has equated KU with a triple-option team. Earlier in the season, BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill, according to the Salt Lake Tribune, compared preparing for KU to preparing for Air Force because their offense requires opponents to be so sound in their assignments.

It’s easy to understand Gundy’s concern, especially after OSU gave up 224 rushing yards to Neal and 93 more to quarterback Jason Bean in a loss in Lawrence last season.

Kotelnicki deploys option concepts as one key way of making his offense stressful for opponents.

“It’s certainly not all we do,” Kotelnicki said. “It’s a part of what we do.”

He added that he played in a kind of wishbone offense in college back when he was a lineman at Wisconsin-River Falls; “If (Gundy) knew that, I’m flattered.”

Kotelnicki and the Jayhawk running backs are earning their flowers, but so is OSU’s Ollie Gordon II, a true sophomore who carried the ball 21 times for 136 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys’ upset win over Kansas State last week.

“I think he’s big, strong, kind of a one-cut guy,” KU defensive coordinator Brian Borland said. “He was able to fend off some tacklers against Kansas State on some of his bigger runs.”

KU’s win over UCF was the first time in the Lance Leipold era that the Jayhawks have won while allowing a 100-yard rusher (0-13 previously) or 200-plus rushing yards overall (0-17 previously). They’ll need to tighten up a bit on the road in Stillwater.

“We understand that we got to be disciplined with our eyes again, just like every week,” linebacker Rich Miller said, “and just play downhill, try to be a more physical team.”

The Jayhawks have a chance to become bowl eligible by beating the Cowboys for the second straight year. Just like in 2022, due to an injury to Jalon Daniels, they’ll likely need to do it with Bean at the helm.

Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) vs. Kansas Jayhawks (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)

• Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, Oklahoma, 2:30 p.m.

• Broadcast: FS1

• Radio: Jayhawk Radio Network (in Lawrence, KLWN AM 1320 / K269GB FM 101.7 / KKSW FM 105.9)

• Betting line: KU -3; over/under 56

• Series history: OSU leads 40-30-3

What to watch for

1. Defensive end depth: Minnesota transfer Austin Booker has been the headliner and is tied for the conference lead with five sacks. But Jereme Robinson and Hayden Hatcher, a pair of key contributors at defensive end, went down with injuries late in Saturday’s victory. Robinson returned to practice at midweek after missing it Monday and Borland expressed optimism Wednesday about his availability, but Hatcher practiced on neither day. Meanwhile, Patrick Joyner Jr. got “a million reps” Wednesday. He, Dylan Brooks and Davion Westmoreland could be called upon for greater roles than usual this weekend.

2. Settled starter: OSU employed a zany three-quarterback rotation early in the season but has stuck with sixth-year senior transfer Alan Bowman for each of its last two games. So far this season, Bowman is 72-for-135 with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He will be a familiar foe for KU; prior to spending two seasons at Michigan, Bowman was the quarterback at Texas Tech. He led the Red Raiders to victories in Lubbock in 2018 (when he threw for 408 yards) and 2020. The opposing quarterbacks in those games were Peyton Bender and Miles Kendrick. This will be Bowman’s first time taking on KU in the Lance Leipold era.

3. Kicker comparison: Seth Keller had been lights-out for KU, making his first seven field goal attempts of the year, until he missed a short one late against UCF. OSU’s Alex Hale is 11-for-13 on the year and just earned “Star of the Week” honors from the Lou Groza Award after going 5-for-6 against K-State to tie the school record for made field goals in a game. He has hit from 53 yards out twice this season. In a game as close as this one is expected to be, either one of these players could be the difference.

Spotlight on…

Jayson Gilliom: The backup linebacker and special teams contributor, a converted safety who worked his way back from an injury that caused him to miss all of 2022, is earning more snaps week by week. Last week at UCF, he earned his first career sack, and also tracked down a player after blitzing against a screen pass so effectively that Borland showed the play to the whole team — along with a video of Gilliom making the exact same play in practice. Borland said of the play, “If your habits are this in practice, the results are going to be this in a game. I thought it was just great for everybody, a good message for everybody about ‘That’s it, right there.'” Gilliom could earn more time at the Hawk linebacker spot this week and play a key role in limiting Bowman.

Inside the numbers

1,006: Neal and Hishaw have combined for this many yards on the ground, a total that leads all Power Five rushing duos.

100: KU ranks 100th in the nation in passing offense, averaging just 201 yards per game. If Gundy’s defensive focus is in any indication, the Cowboys will try to make Bean throw the ball down the field.

17: Nickolas Martin, a breakout defensive star at linebacker for OSU, had this many tackles against K-State, the most for a Cowboy since 2016.

Prediction

KU wins 28-21. OSU is coming off a headline-grabbing victory over a K-State team that had appeared one of the best in the conference, but the Cowboys benefited from three interceptions and three turnovers on downs in that game.

KU will be able to take care of the ball much more effectively. Bean has not yet thrown an interception this year and OSU had only forced two turnovers in its other four games combined. Even if the Jayhawks can’t pound the ball the same way they have in all their victories this year, Bean will make the throws they need to help them retain possession and produce a sufficient number of scoring chances.