ESPN FPI Predicts Oklahoma State Football vs. BYU Cougars
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are one bad Friday night away from what could be an unraveled season. The program has been known for its consistency. They pulled out an incredible 2023 season after a shaky start. The 2024 season hasn't gone too great, though, as they currently sit at 3-3 with three straight Big 12 losses.
The Cowboys' upcoming contest is against the No. 13-ranked BYU Cougars in a Friday night matchup in Provo, UT. By no means will this be even close to an easy task for Oklahoma State. They're going to take on a stout defense in a tough environment.
According to ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), the Cowboys only have a 36.9 percent chance to win the contest. BYU, on the other hand, had a 63.1 percent chance to win the game. This goes in line with the betting odds, too, as the Cowboys are currently a 9.5-point favorite in the contest.
The Cowboys' last three losses have been brutal. They trailed Utah 22-3 for most of that home loss. They were blown out by Kansas State in Manhattan and West Virginia rolled into Boone Pickens Stadium and rolled over Oklahoma State.
BYU is arguably one of the top teams in the Big 12, and certainly the best the Cowboys have faced at this point in the season. The Cougars are currently 6-0 and have won each of their three conference games.
It's hard to give Oklahoma State any chance to win this game. They're currently undecided as it pertains to who will be their starter for the matchup. Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy stated that the program needs to name a starter by Thursday.
Times are bad in Stillwater, and a loss on Friday would give Oklahoma State a losing record, which would certainly signal for some serious changes within the program.
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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