OSU Football: Southeastern Louisiana Preview

Oklahoma State kicks off the 2016 season at home against Southeastern Louisiana at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday.

The No. 21 Cowboys open in Boone Pickens Stadium for the first time since 2012 and despite the Lions being a relatively good FCS team, this one should look like a glorified scrimmage.

Junior quarterback Mason Rudolph is back to lead the seventh-best passing team in the nation a year ago and he’ll be looking for star receiver James Washington often as the Lions tend to stack the box on defense. The spotlight won’t be on OSU’s passing game though. The Cowboys finished 113th in rushing last year and whether the blame rests on the offensive line, the running backs or the scheme, something has to change.

They’ve added Marcus Keyes, a redshirt freshman, at left guard and transfer Larry Williams could work in at right guard, which should help. Two new running backs, Stanford transfer Barry J. Sanders and freshman Justice Hill could be the spark the Cowboys need to balance out the offense.

Sanders and Hill will also return kicks.

Defensively, redshirt sophomores Jordan Brailford and Jarell Owens step into the large, pass-rushing shoes left by Emmanuel Ogbah and Jimmy Bean, but they probably won’t have too many pass-rushes against Southeastern. The Lions run a triple-option offense, designed around misdirection handoffs so linebackers Jordan Burton, Devante Averette and especially middle linebacker Chad Whitener will have their hands full.

Southeastern’s quarterback, D’Shaie Landor stepped into the role midway through last season and finished with 1,228 yards passing, seven touchdowns and four interceptions while adding another four scores on the ground. The Lions rotate several running backs including last year’s leading rusher, Julius Maracalin, and junior Eugene Bethea. Senior Rasheed Harrell, who missed the 2015 season to injury, is back too.

Defensively, Southeastern is very experienced and boasts several former Power 5 players including former Georgia and Alabama defensive tackle Jon Taylor. The 6-foot-6, 340-pound nose tackle was dismissed from Georgia after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend in a dorm in 2014. Then after a season at Copiah-Lincoln Community College he enrolled at Alabama and was on the team for less than three months before another assault arrest. Now eligible for Southeastern, he’ll provide a tough test for Oklahoma State’s O-line.

Prediction: The Cowboys passing attack shines and backups play most of the second half; OSU wins 52-10.