What is Oklahoma State's Marquee Home Matchup in the New-Look Big 12?
Oklahoma State has one of the Big 12’s best home-field advantages, but without a couple of rivals on the schedule, it will need a new marquee matchup.
Last season, OSU looked to recover from a rough finish to 2022, and the fans in Stillwater played a significant part. After a blowout loss to South Alabama in Boone Pickens Stadium in mid-September, it might have been easy for fans to abandon the team in what looked like a lost season.
However, another sellout against Kansas State on a Friday night helped the Cowboys turn their season around. With a blackout matchup against the Wildcats, OSU got out to an early lead and carried it to the end to avoid the first 2-3 start in Mike Gundy’s tenure.
Another significant game for the Cowboys was their Homecoming matchup against Cincinnati. OSU and Ollie Gordon dominated against the Bearcats in a sellout. Although a Friday night conference matchup and Homecoming are always going to put fans in the stands, rivalries will do that under any circumstance.
OSU’s signature win last season came against Oklahoma in the final scheduled bedlam matchup. While it was one of the many sellouts at Boone Pickens Stadium last season, it always has a unique atmosphere.
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Matchups against Texas in Boone Pickens Stadium have also tended to have that impact. Without either team on the schedule for OSU moving forward, finding another matchup to be as consistently fun and exciting as those might be difficult.
Given the lack of history, none of the incoming teams from the past two seasons are likely to be that for OSU. That leaves a few teams with the chance of being that new premier matchup for OSU at home.
Although the blackout helped the atmosphere last season, Kansas State is a strong contender to be that next team, as the teams typically have tight matchups. With both expected to compete for Big 12 titles over the next few years, the Wildcats are the favorite for that spot.
However, the lack of general animosity there might stifle any chance OSU has at a consistent premier matchup at home. Still, the Big 12 will have plenty of competitive teams, so any top 10 or top 15 team that makes its way to Stillwater should get the Cowboys’ best shot regardless of the name on their jersey.
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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.