Mike Gundy breaks down Texas' run defense

Oklahoma State squares off with Texas on Saturday for the Big 12 Championship in what’s bound to be a physical matchup in the trenches.

The Cowboys started the regular season 2-2, but a 7-1 finish propelled them a conference title game appearance against the No. 7 ranked Longhorns.

Texas’ team has various strengths but their biggest may be their defense, and more specifically their ability to stop the run. Which Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy fully unpacked on Tuesday ahead of this weekend’s matchup.

“So they’re 2.9 [yards allowed] a carry, which is tough for the guys rushing the football against them,” Gundy said. “It’s interesting, they’re a 35-point team scoring and they’re only giving up 17. They’re double, their margin is pretty big, it’s pretty rare you see that. They’re 25% third down conversion defensively which is really good. I mean there’s a reason why [they are] where they are, in particulars that’s what you’re dealing with.”

Only four teams in the nation have stopped the run better than Texas this season, holding opponents to just 85 yards on the ground per game. But according to Gundy, the Longhorns don’t do anything too special schematically in order to achieve an elite level of run-stopping success.

“More of a traditional defense, they can play gaps and play coverage. They don’t necessarily have to overload the box to stop the run, that’s not what they do. They could, but that’s not traditionally what they do,” Gundy explained. “Most people have struggled in a big way blocking their down guys and their backers so they don’t have to overload the box for the rush.”

Running the ball has been a key component to Oklahoma State’s success this season, with star running back Ollie Gordon leading the country in rushing with 1,580 yards and 20 touchdowns on the year. And given the established identities of the Cowboys’ offense and the Longhorns’ defense, Gundy believes there won’t be many secrets on Saturday.

“I think at this point I would guess their coaches know what we’re gonna do what we do and I’m gonna say that, for the most part, they’re gonna do what they do. We’re in Week 13 and there’s not a lot of changes that are going to take place over a two preparation and it won’t be for us,” Gundy said. “I don’t think there’s any secret to it, we have to find ways to block them and balance our offense. We would like to be not one dimensional, one dimensional has not been good for our team no matter who we play, much less a team that’s as talented as Texas.”

Oklahoma State enters the title game as 15.5-point underdogs, but if they’re able to run the ball the playing field could be leveled for Saturday’s game. The Cowboys and Longhorns will face off at noon ET in a game airing on ABC.