OSU’s schedule: Luck of the draw
Sometimes, a season is determined by the luck of the draw. Oklahoma State football, for example.
Do you realize where the Cowboys would be sitting in 2008 if you reversed their home and road games?
Now, OSU hosts Texas A&M, Baylor, Iowa State and OU. The Cowboys will be huge favorites against all but the Sooners.
OSU goes on the road to Missouri, Texas, Texas Tech and Colorado. The Cowboys will be underdogs, maybe big underdogs, to all but Colorado and maybe the Buffs, too.
But switch that around. Put OSU on the road against its 2008 home foes and at home against the road foes.
Then Missouri, Texas, Tech and Colorado would come to Stillwater, and while OSU would be underdogs to Mizzou and Texas, you figure the Cowboys would be good for one upset.
On the road, OSU still would be favored at Texas A&M, Baylor and Iowa State. The Cowboys would be big underdogs in Norman.
So look at it. Reverse the schedule, and it’s not stretching it to see the Cowboys go 6-2, which would be 10-2 overall. As is, OSU is looking at 3-5 or 4-4 without a big upset either way, and a decent 7-5 or 8-4 finish.
Big difference in those seasons, based only on the schedule.
Too bad for 2008. But there’s a tradeoff. OSU does get that schedule in 2009, when Zac Robinson and Spud Hunter and Dez Bryant return.
Beware the Cowboys in 2009.
-------------Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel. Visit Berry's website here.
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Comments
“The Cowboys will be underdogs, maybe big underdogs, to all but Colorado and maybe the Buffs, too.”
Brilliance at work.
Speculation is great, Berry…..let the season play out and see if the ’08 version of the Cowboys can spring an upset (or 2) before calling the season a failure due to scheduling!
I think Cowboys are very much capable to beat Missouri, Colorado,Tech, and OU this season. They will go more than 10-2.
Woah Woah, KC, I love my OSU boys, but saying we will go better than 10-2 is reaching a bit. I’ll be satisfied with 8-4, happy with 9-3, and absolutely ecstatic if we hit 10-2. Just because we are “capable” doesn’t mean it is a guarantee.
Good write up, but doesn’t OSU have Georgia on their non-conference schedule in 2009 as well? I wouldn’t call that a “W”.