Final Opponent's Rise Could Dash Oklahoma State's Bowl Hopes
Oklahoma State hasn’t won a conference game in five tries but has four opportunities left.
On Saturday, the Cowboys lost to Baylor 38-28 in Waco. With the loss, OSU fell to 3-5 and continues to hold sole possession of last place in the Big 12, having yet to win a conference game.
Going into Week 9, OSU did not have a ranked opponent on its remaining schedule. However, Sunday’s AP poll has changed that status, specifically for the Cowboys’ regular season finale.
The Big 12’s top three squads remained in the top 25, with Iowa State moving down to No. 11 despite a bye week and BYU surpassing the Cyclones and surging to No. 9 to become the conference’s highest-ranked team.
Meanwhile, Kansas State’s narrow win against Kansas dropped it a spot to No. 17. While those three were the only Big 12 teams in last week’s ranking, a fourth team has joined the discussion.
Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes entered the top 25 for the first time this season at No. 23. Following a win against Cincinnati, the Buffaloes record sits at 6-2, with losses only at Nebraska and a narrow home defeat to Kansas State.
With a Big 12 Championship appearance still within reach, Colorado has an opportunity to shock the country and sneak into the College Football Playoff. Of course, the Buffaloes will need to win out to do so.
Meanwhile, OSU needs to win three of its final four games to earn bowl eligibility. The Cowboys host Arizona State and Texas Tech and will travel to face TCU and Colorado.
That Colorado game will be the regular season finale for both teams. With rather easy schedules leading up to that game, it could have significant stakes for both teams if OSU can get on the right track.
Considering the game is in Boulder and could have far larger stakes for Colorado, OSU could be in for a rough game to finish the year. Assuming OSU loses to a Colorado team with playoff hopes, it would need to win three straight games leading up to that matchup to make a bowl game.
While OSU could turn things around, Colorado’s unexpected rise to Big 12 contender could be the nail in the coffin for Mike Gundy’s team.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.