.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
High-scoring Oklahoma State has yet to lose with quarterback Daxx Garman, who had another big game in his Big 12 debut last week.
While the offense is clicking, cleaning things up defensively remains a priority for coach Mike Gundy's team.
The No. 21 Cowboys go for a fourth consecutive win when they host Iowa State on Saturday.
Garman threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns as Oklahoma State (3-1, 1-0) beat Texas Tech 45-35 last Thursday. The redshirt sophomore added another score on the ground in his second start since taking over for the injured J.W. Walsh.
"I thought he handled himself very well," Gundy said. "It was his first Big 12 game and only his third game at this level. For the most part, he understood exactly what we wanted to do."
While Garman has completed only 56.3 percent of his passes, his rating of 171.8 ranks among the best in the country. The Cowboys are averaging 42.7 points during their winning streak since falling 37-31 to No. 1 Florida State in their season opener with Walsh under center.
Garman also helped guide Oklahoma State to a 40-23 victory over Missouri State on Sept. 6, coming in after Walsh was injured and going 16 for 26 for 244 yards and two touchdowns.
"He's made a lot of progress," safety Jordan Sterns said of Garman, the Big 12 offensive player of the week. "He's making big plays for us. I knew it could happen, and I knew he would do just as well when he had to step in. He's really stepping it up and making plays."
Oklahoma State is looking to step it up defensively after allowing a season-worst 512 yards of offense against the Red Raiders. The Cowboys are surrendering 27.0 points per game, nearly a touchdown more than the 21.6 they gave up to lead the conference last year.
"For us, it's continuing to improve each week," Gundy said. "Defensively, we'll try to bring some players along and develop some more depth. ... We have a lot of work ahead of us."
It's unclear if cornerback Ashton Lampkin will be able to go after leaving last Thursday with an ankle injury. Starting safety Larry Stephens also exited but was able to return.
"Injuries will always happen. That's why it's so important that you recruit, and that's why there are 85 scholarships. You've got to have depth to have really good seasons," defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer said. "I'm looking at the big plays we're giving up and how we can get that corrected. ... We have to shore up some tackling issues we had last week against Tech. If we continue that, it won't be a nice day out there."
Though Oklahoma State is allowing a league-worst 279.0 yards per game through the air, it's held opponents to 113.0 on the ground. That doesn't bode well for Iowa State (1-3, 0-2) which ranks 110th out of 125 FBS teams with 104.0 rushing yards per game.
"You've got to run the football and you've got to defend the run if you want to be successful. We're not even scratching the surface at doing that," said coach Paul Rhoads, whose defense has been gashed for 226.8 rushing yards per game. "We've got to fix it. It's certainly being addressed."
Iowa State entered its bye week off a 20-17 win at Iowa on Sept. 13, but it couldn't keep up with No. 7 Baylor in last Saturday's 49-28 defeat. Sam B. Richardson went 17 of 39 for 212 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, and added 99 yards and another score on the ground.
The Cyclones' three running backs combined for 28 yards on 20 carries.
"We've got to make some folks miss," Rhoads said. "In watching Oklahoma State, other people are taking care of every gap, too, and sometimes backs make folks miss. We need that added to the quotient."
Iowa State has yielded 42.6 points per game in dropping four of five to the Cowboys, including a 58-27 defeat Oct. 26. Desmond Roland ran for a career-high 219 yards and four touchdowns as Oklahoma State piled up 342 yards on the ground.
Roland has four TDs in three games this year and 181 yards in the last two.
The Cowboys have won 25 straight and 53 of 56 home games against unranked foes. They've outscored the Cyclones 126-34 during a three-game winning streak in Stillwater.
