Week 6 Matchup Could Show Where Oklahoma State Stands in Big 12
Oklahoma State has faced a variety of opponents, but this weekend could be the best to judge the Cowboys.
On Saturday, OSU will face West Virginia in Boone Pickens Stadium as the team looks to get its first conference win. The Mountaineers won their first Big 12 game against Kansas and still have aspirations to make a run at the conference title.
West Virginia has two losses this season, but both are nonconference. Neal Brown’s team lost its season opener to College Football Playoff contender Penn State and blew a late lead to drop its rivalry matchup against Pitt.
Meanwhile, OSU has lost its first two conference games to Utah and Kansas State. While there is no shame in losing to the Big 12’s preseason favorite, it shows that OSU can’t compete with the best in the league.
OSU’s nonconference slate featured big wins against South Dakota State and Tulsa. Needing double overtime to complete an improbable comeback against an average-at-best Arkansas team leaves OSU with an unimpressive resume.
Considering OSU’s status as a team with a winning record could have easily changed with one play, Saturday’s game could give some insight into how good OSU is. Although the 4-2 or 3-3 mark for OSU after this weekend will tell something about the Cowboys, how the game plays out could serve as an indication of how the rest of the season will go.
A win in which OSU is in control for most of the game could help the Cowboys re-establish their spot as a solid Big 12 team despite some poor performances to start conference play. Meanwhile, a win in which OSU narrowly escapes would be a step in the right direction but wouldn’t instill confidence in the Cowboys as anything more than an average squad.
Any type of loss on Saturday could come with significant consequences. OSU’s game against West Virginia is the second-likeliest for it to win the rest of the season, according to ESPN. Considering four of OSU’s final six games are on the road, a 3-3 mark going into the second half would put OSU’s streaks of winning seasons and bowl games in serious jeopardy.
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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.