Arkansas' Sam Pittman Excited To Re-Ignite Oklahoma State Matchup
It's been 44 years since the Oklahoma State Cowboys have squared off against the Arkansas Razorbacks on the gridiron. The Big 12/SEC battle will take place on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. local time in Stillwater.
A quick trip, the two contests are re-igniting a historical matchup. Having not faced each other since 1980, the Cowboys look to get back on the right side of the series. Arkansas leads the series 29-14-1 over Oklahoma State.
On top of owning the all-time series record, the Razorbacks captured five straight victories over the Cowboys before the series came to a halt. However, Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman is excited to bring the series between the two programs back.
"I believe I went to one of those games when I was in high school," Pittman said Wednesday during the SEC teleconference. "Somebody said it’s been 44 years, which means that’s the exact same time I’ve been out of high school, so that kind of hit me a little bit. But yeah, excited to have the game again."
Mike Gundy's Oklahoma State squad is walking into the contest 1-0, as is Arkansas. Led by Ollie Gordon and a dynamic offensive group, the Cowboys' continuity will bode well against Arkansas, though no SEC opponent is an easy opponent.
This game could be a big one in Stillwater, as the Cowboys' non-conference schedule could help their College Football Playoff resume. With the new 12-team format, making the Big 12 title game poses a large opportunity. Should they win the title for the first time since 2011, they'd get a bid. As a runner-up, they could ride an impressive resume -- which needs a victory over Arkansas -- to earn a bid in the contest.
It's good for Oklahoma State to rekindle a battle against an SEC squad, as the two conferences are power conferences, and playing each other certainly helps one another prepare for the regular season.
Want to join the discussion? Like Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Cowboys news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
Kade has been covering a wide variety of teams ranging from the NFL to the NBA and college athletics since joining Sports Illustrated's On SI in 2022