Oklahoma State football 2017: Projected Cowboys depth chart
By Brad Weiss
The Oklahoma State Cowboys come into the 2017 season with a ton of talent on offense, with two potential Heisman Trophy candidates leading the way.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys have a ton of talent on the offensive side of the ball in 2017, and if the defense can play at least solid football, they could be in for a special season. Last season, the Cowboys won ten games, and were actually being whispered as a sleepers pick for the College Football Playoff heading into their December 3 matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners. Well, Oklahoma blew them out, and they ended up playing Colorado in the Valero Alamo Bowl instead.
It was quite a roller coaster ride for the Cowboys early in the 2016 campaign, as they lost a very winnable game against Central Michigan at home in Week 2. After beating Pitt the following week, they lost their Big 12 opener against Baylor on the road, starting the season at 2-2. From there, it was smooth sailing, as they reeled off seven straight wins heading into that matchup against Oklahoma.
While they were beaten pretty soundly against the Sooners, they did rebound to put a whooping on the Buffaloes. They won the Alamo Bowl by the score of 38-8, as quarterback Mason Rudolph threw for three scores in the contest. The Buffaloes did not score a point until 5:28 left in the fourth quarter in what was certainly a blowout victory for the Cowboys.
In 2017, the Cowboys should challenge for a Big 12 title, though Oklahoma also returns a stud at quarterback in Baker Mayfield. Still, the three headed monster of Rudolph, wide receiver James Washington, and running back Justice Hill should dominate again in 2017, giving the Cowboys arguably the best offense in all of college football. The Cowboys open their season on August 31 against Tulsa, before hitting the road for a matchup against South Alabama in Week 2.
The schedule is a tough one, but it does favor the Cowboys. They get to play Oklahoma at home on November 4, and an October bye week should give the team time to rest up for the rest of their slate. They do travel to play Texas and West Virginia, but this Cowboys team should have more than enough talent to be in the mix for the conference title come December.