Oklahoma State Football Spring Game 2017: 5 things to watch for
By John Buhler
4. Can the Pokes win the Big 12?
From the looks of it, the Bedlam Series between in-state rivals Oklahoma and Oklahoma State could end up determining who wins the Big 12. While there will be a Big 12 Conference Championship Game in Arlington this December, can the Cowboys get to AT&T Stadium and win their conference?
In the non-conference, the Cowboys draw Tulsa, at South Alabama and a tough road game at Heinz Field against Pittsburgh. That’s a solid non-conference slate that can amplify the Cowboys’ chances to reach the playoff. All three non-conference opponents are perennial bowl-caliber programs.
While the Cowboys have a favorable ending to their Big 12 slate with at Iowa State, Kansas State, and Kansas, they will need to do their heavy-lifting early in conference play. Oklahoma State opens Big 12 play at home against TCU. From there, their next five games get increasingly tougher: at Texas Tech, Baylor, at Texas, at West Virginia, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma State should be a good team, but getting to Bedlam undefeated at 8-0 will be tough sledding for Gundy’s program. Beating Oklahoma in Stillwater will be the most important game on the Cowboys’ schedule this fall. In short, they can drop a road game at Texas or West Virginia and represent the Big 12 in the fourth annual College Football Playoff at 12-1 (8-1).