The Oklahoma State Cowboys
The future is bright in Stillwater and the future is now. Two years ago, Oklahoma State had lofty expectations and started the season with a big win against SEC staple, Georgia. Instead of using that game as a spring board, OSU once again had a messy season that ended with Dez Bryant being suspended. That was then and this is now. And now Oklahoma State has changed their offensive approach to really showcase the talents of drop back passer, Brandon Weedon and the best wide receiver in the country, Justin Blackmon. Last year, Blackmon had 1,782 yards receiving, but his 111 receptions accounted for less than 33-percent of Weedon’s completions. Those numbers highlight Weedon’s ability to command the playbook and find the open man or favorable matchup.

Like most offenses, you hope to have some sense of balance and Kendall Hunter is not there to provide it. Enter true freshman, Herschel Simms who was one of the best high school running backs in the country during his time at Abeline High School in Texas. Nevertheless, since Mike Gundy took over the head coaching position at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys have relied on the pass to get the job done.

The biggest variable for Oklahoma State isn’t with their players or the six starters they have to replace on defense. It’s in the coaching ranks where Todd Monken takes over the offense from Dana Holgerson, who moved on to West Virginia.

Under Holgerson, Oklahoma State used its strong personnel to showcase one of the most dynamic and innovative passing attacks in the country. Monken, who most recently served as the quarterback’s coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, has a strong collegiate resume, where he was the passing coordinator for OSU from 2002-04 and receivers coach at LSU from 2005-06.

Big XII Title Hopes
If Oklahoma State wants to compete for Big XII title, they are going to have to beat Texas A&M in College Station. Last year, OSU struggled at home against the Aggies and were fortunate to capitalize on A&M’s frequent turnovers late in the game.

The road does not get any easier for OSU, literally and figuratively. In addition to visiting College Station, the Cowboys will play Texas in Austin, Missouri, Missouri in Columbia and Texas Tech in Lubbock. That is a tall order for a team that will be forced to get acclimated to a new offensive coordinator and play caller.

Vegas is offering you eight times the return if you want to put money on Oklahoma State to win the Big XII Vegas has made them the conference’s fourth betting choice, but they are the second best team in the Big XII. Should they pass their numerous road tests in October and November, they will get a dream showdown in Stillwater on December 3rd with in-state rival, Oklahoma

Oklahoma State will be favored in all of their games prior to Oklahoma and even if they have one conference loss, the game vs. OU still will be for the Big XII Championship. From where I sit right now, +800 is a great price Oklahoma State because in all likelihood, their game with Oklahoma will be for the Big XII title and the odds for that game should be around even money at kick off.

Worth a BCS Title Future?
The 25-to-1 shot that Vegas says Oklahoma State is to win the National Championship is a testament to what little respect they get on the national scene. The Big XII Champion has played in six of the last ten National Championship games, yet Vegas is saying that even if OSU wins the Big XII, that they will be passed over by the pollsters and computers.

Vegas is right in this situation. Oklahoma State doesn’t have the pedigree or schedule to create a resume worthy of the BCS Title Game. Their non-conference games against Tulsa and Arizona is not bad, but it’s not good either.

The Big XII is down this year and big victories over average teams will fail to capture the nation’s imagination. Oklahoma State will need to finish the season with one of the two best record’s in college football and I don’t see that happen. In the event that they share the best record with two or more other teams, they will not get the nod based on their brand and the fact that the Big XII does not have a proper championship game anymore. My advice is save your money.

Click Here to Try AccuScore Membership Free at a Special Preseason rate.
Our rates will increase, So Get Them Now!

Click Here to read more NCAA College Football Previews