Breaking Down the Oklahoma State Schedule (Part 2)

We looked at Part 1 here. A reminder: This is not meant to be a deep dive into each team (that will come later) — simply a general overview of what we can reasonably expect going into 2016.

Game 4: at Baylor

I really wish OSU was getting Baylor later in the season. Baylor’s weakness will likely be its depth, and that reveals itself more as September turns into October turns into November. This will not be the cakewalk I’m afraid some people think it will be, especially if Seth Russell is firing on 2015 cylinders.

OSU hasn’t won in Waco since, gulp, 2009 when Baylor was barely modern day Baylor. This will likely be the strongest squad it takes there in that timespan though. I’ll call it a win, but I’m about as confident as Mike Gundy’s barber after a couple of beers.

Record: 4-0

Game 5: Texas

The last time OSU beat Texas in Stillwater, Kerri Strug was still a national hero (barely, but still). Texas thinks the solution to its quarterback situation is to trick Notre Dame into thinking one of the two players we’ve been talking out is going to play then trot out the 39th McCoy brother (or something like that), but still, Texas has no shortage of athletes.

Again, this will be the best team OSU has used against the Horns in Stillwater since, uh, well maybe since 1997. OSU should win. I think OSU will win. They’ll have every advantage, but I won’t be confident until the Texas team plane touches down back in Austin and the Big 12 has sent its referees for this one to an island off the coast of Japan posted the score on its website.

Record: 5-0

Game 6: Iowa State

Iowa State in Ames is like watching your kid try to carry the carving knives from the kitchen to the living room. Iowa State in Stillwater is like watching your kid walk into the kitchen for breakfast after rolling out of the rack. Might not be pretty or perfect, but at least you know it’s eventually going to happen and that there won’t be an egregious act of malfeasance committed.

Record: 6-0

Summary

You get past Baylor and Texas, and it’s time to get excited because then you’re probably at least in the CFP conversation until late in the year. The stretch of games to end the season is even tougher than this three-game stretch, but this first real test for the Cowboys will let us know if the offensive line is real, how good Justice Hill (or any of the other running backs) will be, if the defense is in fact improved and whether Mason Rudolph is definitely The Truth (he is).