Ride ‘em Cowboys
Under the leadership of head coach Mike Gundy, the Oklahoma State Cowboys have become a staple in the top-25 rankings. According to the odds makers, the Cowboys have 8/1 odds at making the college football playoff this season, good for 15th best in the nation. All-American running back Justice Hill is returning for another season and it’s sure to be an explosive one behind an eager offensive line that includes preseason All-Big 12 lineman Marcus Keyes.
OSU lost Mason Rudolph, the winningest Cowboys QB in school history, to the NFL and his departure also opens up a good old fashioned battle for the starting job this season. Two elite QB recruits, Spencer Sanders and Hawaii transfer Dru Brown, are the favorites to fillRudolph’s footsteps. But you better keep an eye on dark-horse candidate Taylor Cornelius due to his veteran status on the team as a senior. Under Coach Gundy’s tenure, the Cowboys have always delivered on the offensive front.
The Cowboys struggled last year on the defensive front, a common theme from many Big 12 teams over the last several years. In an effort to turn things around and bring balance to the team, OSU announced earlier this year that there would be a big change with the addition of a new defensive coordinator from Duke, Jim Knowles. If the Poke’s defense can lend a hand to its offense, the Cowboys are in line to once again make some noise in the Big 12 and be a dark horse for the college football playoff scenario.
In exciting fan news, new renovations to Oklahoma State’s Boone Pickens Stadium will give spectators a revamped experience this fall. The plaza level of the west end zone now features a food court that includes both local and national eating options. A 6,160 sq.-ft. ft. video screen towards the east end zone has been highly anticipated and is sure to provide for improved fan engagement. Perhaps the biggest change to the stadium, however, is the recent announcement that alcohol will be sold throughout the stadium. Beforehand, alcohol was only available in restricted areas in the stadium.
The OSU Cowboys open up their schedule against Missouri State (Aug. 30th); other notable home games include Boise State (Sept. 15th), Texas (Oct. 27th), and West Virginia (Nov. 17th).
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