Prominent CFB Analyst Predicts Oklahoma State To Win Big 12 Football Championship
There's real traction in Stillwater, and there's no secret about it. Last season, Ollie Gordon emerged as the nation's leading rusher despite hardly playing through the first three weeks. His entire starting offensive line -- also among the best in college football -- is returning for another season.
It's going to be no shock when Oklahoma State's run game is incredible next season, and that doesn't take into account Alan Bowman returning for a seventh season of college football with an incredibly rounded wide receiver corps.
Because of their strong run game, though, 247Sports' Josh Pate selected the Cowboys to win the Big 12 in the upcoming season.
"The run game for Oklahoma State is enough for them to ride to a conference championship, I think," Pate said on his show. "You have about a million returning starters on the offensive line, you have the best running back in the country in Ollie Gordon and you have a lot of dependability there."
Gordon rushed for 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns, adding 330 receiving yards and an additional touchdown in the air. His 2,000-plus all-purpose yardage season left him as the Doak Walker Award winner and finishing top ten in Heisman voting.
The Cowboys are going to be able to ride the momentum built through last season with a returning squad to potentially take over a new-look Big 12. Oklahoma and Texas, two very, very strong teams, are no longer in the conference. That leaves a void atop the conference that Oklahoma State will be able to fill.
Behind Oklahoma State's strong run game, the passing game led by Bowman will open up and become much easier. They've got a strong path to a Big 12 title game appearance again, and an appearance really, really bolsters their chances of playing in the first 12-team playoffs.
READ MORE: 247Sports Tabs Oklahoma State, Two Other Big 12 Teams Listed in CFP Predictions
Want to join the discussion? Like AllPokes 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