Oklahoma State Nothing for Hogs to Fear

Cowboys as perfectly mediocre as any team can be on Arkansas Razorbacks' schedule

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

STILLWATER, Okla. — There sure does seem to be a lot of overconfidence flowing from Oklahoma State this morning. A few Cowboys fans have even expressed that they were way more worried facing South Dakota State last week than the Hogs later today.

It almost feels like OSU fans have the impression Arkansas will be scared of the boys from Stillwater when things kick off Saturday. It makes sense to a degree for that to be their natural attitude.

It will probably be the case all year with the exception of Utah. However, Arkansas comes from a different perspective that makes Oklahoma State anything but fearful.

Right now, the expectations for quarterback Alan Bowman and running back Ollie Gordon are high enough that they have earned the Cowboys a No. 16 ranking, second best in the Big 12. The whole rest of the conference, plus OSU's non-conference schedule, should cower at the idea of facing the 16th best team in the country.

Just not Arkansas. A team that can barely crack the Top 20 is a welcome sight for the Razorbacks.

In the final four weeks alone, the Hogs will face three Top 10 opponents. If Oklahoma State were in the SEC, that national ranking would be good enough to be considered the eighth best team in the league.

For those who struggle with math, that would put them in the middle of the pack. As far as top to bottom roster talent, Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy typically brings in classes that would rank somewhere around last to next to last in the SEC.

A middle of the pack team not loaded down with five stars and high end four stars is an oasis in the desert when in terms of competition for the Hogs. OSU isn't a team to be feared.

They're a team to which the Razorbacks should look forward. It's one of the weaker spots on the schedule.

Oklahoma State is the sixth best team on Arkansas' schedule. Once again, the Cowboys find themselves middle of the pack.

For OSU fans who might be looking at this, that's where UCF (6-7, 3-6) finished in the Big 12 last season. Of course, that might be a sore spot for Oklahoma State since Gus Malzahn's Knights joined South Alabama as one of a pair of teams Cowboys fans thought should fear them last year only to see their team curb-stomped in Boone Pickens by a combined 78-10.

Basically, OSU is a 50/50 shot at a win from the Hogs' perspective despite being on the road. That might actually go up a tick in the Razorbacks' favor given how much better they have played on the road than at home in recent years.

Sure, Oklahoma State is a team worthy of respect. They're just not anything Arkansas is going to fear.

HOGS FEED:

• Nutt shares how he'd motivate Hogs to face Oklahoma State on the road

• Know your foe: What Hogs need to know about Oklahoma State

• Different motivation could drive Oklahoma State against Hogs

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