Ranking the Big 12: #6 (article by Chris Flanagan)

[HornSports Staff]

submitted Today, 12:45 PM in Texas Longhorns Football By Chris Flanagan
 
In anticipation of the 2015 football season, Horn Sports will rank all ten teams in the Big 12 based on the anticipated finish of each school.

10. Kansas Jayhawks
9. Texas Tech Red Raiders
8. Iowa State Cyclones
7. Kansas State Wildcats

#6 Oklahoma State Cowboys

Location: Stillwater, OK

Stadium: Boone Pickens Stadium (capacity 60,218)

Returning starters: 17 (9 offense; 8 defense)

Recruiting Rankings:

39th nationally, 6th Big 12 (247Sports)

38th nationally, 5th Big 12 (Rivals)

Preview:

The "Man", Mike Gundy, is nearing 50 and doing his best to replicate the success he had from 2008 to 2011. Once thought of as a QB "guru", Gundy is now struggling to find a competent Big 12 starting quarterback to run his offense. JW Walsh returns but at best is a run-first quarterback, and Gundy loves to throw the football. Walsh under center poses a schematic problem for the Boys in Stillwater, so most are expecting Mason Rudolph to be the starter at QB.

Without two gimme wins against FCS Southeast Missouri State and newly minted FBS member UTSA, and a miracle win in Norman over Oklahoma, the Cowboys would have been sitting at home watching bowl season. Calling the 2014 defense "below average" is putting it kindly - OSU finished 93rd in the nation in total defense, but the offense wasn't much better (88th).

Whether or not there is hope for the Pokes remains to be seen. The Cowboys schedule is backloaded, and they have three non-conference games that would make Baylor laugh, so the team is set-up to be confident when they head to Austin in late September. TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma are 3 of the final 4 games of the season for the Cowboys, and I believe they will lose all three. Add in two more losses to Texas and West Virginia and Gundy's seat will be warm if not hot.

Predicted record: 7-5 (4-5 Big 12)