Oklahoma State's Premier Nonconference Matchups Beneficial in 12-Team CFP Era
Oklahoma State’s upcoming nonconference schedules are tough, and that has multiple benefits.
Throughout the days leading up to the final College Football Playoff rankings, strength of schedule was one of the main topics discussed. With teams like Alabama simultaneously only being in the race because of their tough schedule and perhaps getting left out because of it.
The playoff committee’s decision to give the final at-large spot to SMU over Alabama was one of the most controversial in recent history. While SMU went 11-1 and then lost its conference championship, the 11-2 record was enough to win.
At 9-3, Alabama was the only three-loss team to be in consideration for an at-large spot. That tough schedule wasn’t enough to get the Crimson Tide into the 12-team field, but it was enough to keep them ranked above any Big 12 team, including 11-2 champion Arizona State.
The decision to keep Arizona State beneath Alabama was another statement that the committee views the Big 12 as a tier below the SEC and the Big 10. That makes OSU’s upcoming nonconference slates much more valuable in this era.
The Cowboys are likely to struggle next season, but if they can make a surprise run to the Big 12 Championship as they did in 2023, it might all begin with a nonconference upset. OSU plays at Oregon early next season in what could be the program’s biggest nonconference win in the Mike Gundy era.
However, OSU doesn’t necessarily need to win its tough nonconference games. Quality loss is a term thrown around constantly every December, and the Cowboys could have plenty of those in the coming years.
With nonconference matchups of the next decade scheduled against Oregon, Alabama, Arkansas and Nebraska, the Cowboys simply being featured in those games could push them over the edge if they can get into the playoff race at the end of the year. Any wins in those matchups could help the Cowboys rank among the top in the country and put OSU in the national discussion at the beginning of those seasons.
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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.