OSU Football: Camping World Bowl Primer

No. 19 Oklahoma State takes on No. 22 Virginia Tech in the Camping World Bowl in Orlando, Florida seeking a tenth win for the third year in a row. It’s OSU’s 12th consecutive bowl appearance and outside of the College Football Playoff, it is the only bowl this season that pits an FBS top-five scoring offense against an FBS top-five scoring defense.

Oklahoma State From a Distance

Oklahoma State is 9-3 on the year and enters its 12th consecutive bowl game after wrapping up a third-place finish in the Big 12 standings. With a win against Virginia Tech, the Cowboys will secure their sixth season since 2010 with at least 10 wins, including their third in a row. Three straight 10-win seasons would mark the longest streak in program history and would make OSU one of less than 10 teams to secure 10 wins in each of the last three seasons.

The Cowboys lead the FBS in passing offense (392.3) and are ranked No. 2 nationally in total offense (575.7) and No. 3 nationally in scoring offense (46.3). Quarterback Mason Rudolph leads the nation in passing yards, passing yards per game and points responsible for. He's also among the national leaders in every important passing statistic.

His top target, James Washington, leads the nation with 1,423 receiving yards and 118.6 receiving yards per game and he's hit the 100-yard mark a school-record 20 times in his career. On top of that, running back Justice Hill is the Big 12's leading rusher and No. 17 nationally with 1,347 yards.

With those three and receiver Marcell Ateman, OSU is the only team in Big 12 history with a 4,000-yard passer, two 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher - which has happened only nine other times in FBS history and only twice at the Power Five level. The Cowboy defense has continued its legacy of creating turnovers, ranking 11th in FBS with 16 interceptions this season. The OSU defense has forced a turnover in 26 straight games.

Virginia Tech From a Distance

Virginia Tech enters the Camping World Bowl with a 9-3 overall record on the season to match OSU's 9-3 record. As has typically been the case over the years, the Hokies' primary calling card is defense.

The Hokies enter bowl season ranked among the national leaders in nearly every defensive category, including No. 4 in scoring defense (13.5 ppg), No. 2 in third down percentage defense (.251), No. 3 in red zone defense (.667) and No. 5 in total first downs allowed (17.6 per game). On top of that, Virginia Tech leads the nation with six blocked kicks and puts it all together to rank 12th in FBS in total defense at 305.3 yards per game.

With its only losses coming at the hands of then-No. 2 Clemson, then-No. 10 Miami (FL) and on the road at Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech has put together an impressive run and is also looking for back-to-back 10-win seasons.

An Oklahoma State Win Would...

• Give Oklahoma State three-straight 10-win seasons to mark the longest streak in school history. Only OSU (with a Camping World Bowl win) Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, San Diego State, Wisconsin and Stanford (with an Alamo Bowl win) can claim 10-wins in each of the past three seasons.

• Mark the sixth 10-win season for the Cowboys under Mike Gundy, all since 2010.

• Improve the Cowboys to 18-4 in their last 22 games overall.

• Make the Cowboys 2-1 all-time vs. Virginia Tech.

• Give OSU an 18-10 all-time record in bowl games, ranking among the top five bowl winning percentages among teams with at least 20 appearances.

• Mark the second straight season it has won a bowl game, its third bowl win in the last four seasons and its sixth bowl win in the last eight seasons.

• Improve the Cowboys to 1-0 all-time in the Camping World Bowl.

• Improve OSU to 6-7 all-time against current members of the ACC.

Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game

• Oklahoma State has won 17 of its last 21 games overall.

• OSU is 14-2 in its last 16 games decided by less than 10 points.

• QB Mason Rudolph has thrown 57 touchdown passes against just 11 interceptions in his last 21 games.

• James Washington has at least one catch in 44 straight games - the second-longest active streak in FBS.

• Justice Hill has rushed for at least 100 yards in six of his last nine games and in 10 of his last 16 games.

• OSU is outscoring opponents, 137-58, in first quarters this year. The Cowboys have five first-quarter shutouts.

• OSU has won three straight overtime games.

• OSU has had at least one 100-yard receiver in nine of 12 games this season. Cowboy receivers have combined for 19 100-yard performances this season.

• OSU has had a 100-yard rusher in seven of 12 games this season.

• OSU has outrushed its opponent in 11 of its last 13 games and in 13 of its last 16 games.

• Oklahoma State has won 31 of its last 40 games overall, dating back to the end of the 2014 season.

• OSU has forced at least one turnover in 26 straight games and in 35 of the last 36 games, dating to 2015.

• Dating back to 2005, the Cowboys have won 32 of their last 34 games when not committing a turnover.

• Dating back to 2008, the Cowboys have won 56 of their last 61 games when winning the turnover battle.