Oklahoma State Boasts Top 3 Spot in Big 12 Preseason Media Poll
Oklahoma State is expected to be among the best in the Big 12 again in 2024.
On Tuesday, the Big 12 released the results of its preseason poll for the 2024 season. With 16 teams, the conference is deeper and more tightly contested than it has been in previous years.
OSU earned third in the Big 12 poll, trailing first-place Utah and Kansas State. Earning 906 points, Utah also had the most first-place votes, taking 20 of the 61. Kansas State narrowly finished second with 889 points and 19 first-place votes.
Meanwhile, OSU seems to be in a tier of its own at third. The Cowboys finished with 829 points and 14 first-place votes, a notable dropoff from Kansas State. However, they are still a head above Kansas and Arizona, the only other teams to receive first-place votes.
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OSU’s placement at third is unsurprising considering recent betting trends, which have had the Cowboys leap from the middle of the conference to third in odds to win the Big 12. Utah and Kansas State have been considered the favorites to win the conference throughout the offseason.
However, OSU will get an opportunity to test that early in the season. The Big 12 did not hold back on exciting matchups, with OSU facing Utah and Kansas State in September.
It is not ideal to begin the Big 12 slate against the top two preseason teams, but the Cowboys could stake their claim as Big 12 favorites in the first few weeks if they can win those matchups. Considering Kansas State and Utah will not match up, the Cowboys could be the biggest game on both teams’ schedules.
After those games, OSU will face West Virginia, which finished seventh in the preseason poll. The Cowboys will then have their first bye week and get a significantly easier schedule in the second half of the season. From there, OSU will only play teams that finished in the bottom half on the preseason poll, including a homecoming matchup against last-place Arizona State.
OSU will be tested early in its Big 12 slate, but success there could prove the Cowboys’ No. 3 placement too low in 2024.
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IVAN WHITE
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.