STILLWATER – The annual USA Today Sports AFCA preseason Coaches Poll was released Tuesday morning and Oklahoma State football checks in at No. 22.
The Pokes are one of four Big 12 teams, including Oklahoma, Iowa State and Texas.
USA Today Sports AFCA preseason Coaches Poll
- Alabama (63 1st place votes)
- Clemson
- Oklahoma (2)
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Texas A&M
- Notre Dame
- Iowa State
- North Carolina
- Cincinnati
- Florida
- Oregon
- LSU
- USC
- Wisconsin
- Miami
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Texas
- Penn State
- Washington
- Oklahoma State
- ULL
- Coastal Carolina
- Ole Miss
Both TCU and West Virginia received votes.
Pat Kinnison - Chief Photographer
Gundy and Iowa State’s Matt Campbell both voting on the USA Today poll.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy returns as a voter on the AFCA Board of Coaches that votes on the USA Today Poll. Gundy is joined by Neal Brown of West Virginia, Matt Campbell of Iowa State, Steve Sarkisian of Texas, and Gary Patterson of TCU as voters from the Big 12. Phillip Montgomery of Tulsa is also on the board of voters and Oklahoma State hosts Tulsa in the second week of the season on Sept. 11.
The Cowboys weren’t listed in either CBS Sports or ESPN’s preseason polls. An interesting little tidbit is Miami being ranked No. 16 in the Coaches Poll above, despite the Pokes beating the Hurricanes 37-34 in the Cheez-It Bowl in December.
The Cowboys finished the 2020 season with an 8-3 overall record, and a 6-3 record in conference play. They started the season with a four-game win streak, include beating an impressive Iowa State team 24-21, before dropping an overtime game in Stillwater to Texas, 41-34.
They capped the season off with an impressive 37-34 win over a tough No. 18 ranked Miami team in the Cheez-It Bowl. Oklahoma State returns more starters than the Hurricanes. Both teams return their starting quarterback.
The offensive line was riddled with injuries to start the season, forcing OL coach Charlie Dickey to play musical chairs through most of the season. Two starters were lost in the season-opener, as well as starting quarterback Spencer Sanders.
Freshman Shane Illingworth filled in for the remainder of the season opener against Tulsa, as well as the next three games, helping the Pokes to a 3-0 start. He’d finish the season completing 58% of his passes for 554 yards and four touchdowns. As for Spencer Sanders, he finished with 2,007 yards on a 63% completion rate with 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The Pokes return two 400+ yard rushers from the 2020 season, Dezmon Jackson (547) and LD Brown (437), but also have Dominic Richardson and Jaylen Warren, who rushed for 223 yards and 252 yards respectively.
On the defensive side of the ball, Jim Knowles returns one of the best safety units in the country in Tre Sterling and Kolby Harvell-Peel, as well as one of the top linebackers in the country in Malcolm Rodriguez. Over the summer, Joe Bob Clements told Pokes Report this is the deepest defensive line room he’s ever had at Oklahoma State, which is led by Trace Ford, Tyler Lacy and Israel Antwine.
The Cowboys start the 2021 season on Sept. 4 against Missouri State. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
