Oklahoma State Football: Full 2018 season preview, predictions
Schedule and prediction
|
Week |
Date
Opponent
H/A
1
Aug. 30
Missouri State
Home
2
Sept. 8
South Alabama
Home
3
Sept. 15
Boise State
Home
4
Sept. 22
Texas Tech
Home
5
Sept. 29
Kansas
Away
6
Oct. 6
Iowa State
Home
7
Oct. 13
Kansas State
Away
8
Oct. 20
BYE
9
Oct. 27
Texas
Home
10
Nov. 3
Baylor
Away
11
Nov. 10
Oklahoma
Away
12
Nov. 17
West Virginia
Home
13
Nov. 24
TCU
Away
It’s going to be a brutal year in the Big 12. With no real elite team emerging (Oklahoma is close, but not quite good enough), the middle class of the conference is unbelievably even. An argument could be made for six different teams to fill the second spot behind the Sooners, and Oklahoma State will be in that discussion.
However, while there is upwards mobility available, you’ve got to beat the other hopeful teams in this conference’s packed middle class. There’s no dodging teams in a ten team league, and Oklahoma State drew one of the tougher road slates in the conference. They have to travel to Oklahoma, TCU, Baylor, Kansas State and Kansas.
Hosting West Virginia, Texas Tech, Iowa State and Texas is very good news, but having to play the two most likely favorites in the conference (OU and TCU) on the road is brutal. Oddly enough however, we may not know what we have in this Oklahoma State team until November, when they have to face Baylor, Oklahoma, West Virginia and TCU to wrap up the season. That’s a gauntlet.
Prediction: 7-5
I’m not nearly as high on Oklahoma State as some are. Their uncertainty at quarterback, on the line, and in the defensive backfield worry me a ton in such a pass heavy league. If they don’t have unproven players step up at each of those spots, it could be a rough season, and I just don’t see the recruiting production to make that a reasonable expectation.
This schedule is set up for a massive drop off. Two easy wins to start the season leads into a huge matchup with Boise State. I think the Broncos get the best of Oklahoma State, and the Cowboys head into conference play 2-1. Four straight wins to start conference play gives them some serious playoff hope, and puts them into a top ten, before a brutal collapse at the end of the year.
From Oct. 27 on, I see just one win, over Baylor. I think Texas, West Virgnia, Oklahoma and TCU all topple the Cowboys, dropping them to 7-5 after a 6-1 start, and sending them to a mid-level bowl game. With this team, that’ll feel like a bit of a disappointment, but when you lose so much offensive talent, that kind of drop is normal.
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This year could be heavy on growing pains. That’ll make 2019 even sweeter though, because the Cowboys look primed for a big season then, and could be headed to their first Big 12 title game in nearly a decade. They just need to be patient. That goes for players, coaches, administrators, and fans.