How can Arkansas play in a bowl with a 3 - 7 record?
Oklahoma State Football
Notes from Day After End of the Regular Season, Including Possible Bowls
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Photo by AP Jerry Larson
STILLWATER – By 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon the West End Zone and the Oklahoma State football offices were emptying out. The snow was coming down pretty strong. Offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn coming off the season high output for the Cowboys offense of 608-yards and 7.9-yards a snap, was taking the afternoon off as was Cowboys senior analyst Chris Thurmond. Head coach Mike Gundy had also left the building.
“I haven’t had an afternoon off in a long time, so I’m heading home,” Gundy told me.
The players had already been in for the day after the game check-in with the training and medical staff. No weightlifting or meetings after the 42-3 win in Waco over Baylor on Saturday. The team will next practice on Thursday with an emphasis early on working the younger players and getting them reps in the Cowboys base offense and defense, while the starters continue to take it easy before knowing exactly what the assignment is for the bowl game.
The Bowl Game
What do we know about the bowl game? Not a lot at this stage. The Florida loss to LSU on Saturday night means the SEC won’t have two College Football Playoff teams, but they should have two New Year’s Six bowl selections in Florida and Texas A&M. Alabama will be in the CFP. The ACC is possible for two CFP selections, but with the North Carolina win over Miami, Fla. Is less likely for a New Year’s Six extra. Notre Dame and Clemson should eat up two selections. The Big Ten and Pac-12 will get a combination of three teams and there is the Group of Five selection, probably Cincinnati or Tulsa or Coastal Carolina. That is nine selections of the 12 spots. The Big 12 with Iowa State and Oklahoma playing in the Big 12 Championship Game will be interesting and the question is can both get in for a New Year’s Six assignment?
If they do, we believe that Texas goes back to the Alamo Bowl. The Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando could take Oklahoma State to play an ACC opponent, possibly Miami, Fla. or the belief is they are interested in West Virginia. That would mean the Texas Bowl and yes, they would have Oklahoma State back against an SEC foe, possibly Arkansas.
If the Big 12 Championship losing team goes to the Alamo, then our sources believe Texas will go to the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando. Oklahoma State would be in the Texas Bowl, again against Arkansas.
It looks like one of two options:
Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando – Oklahoma State vs. Miami, Fla.
Academy Sports and Outdoors Texas Bowl – Oklahoma State vs. Arkansas
Injury Update
Really sad aspect of the win over Baylor was the injury to sophomore defensive end Trace Ford. Ford in trying to turn the corner on the pass rush while tied up with the offensive line and the replay of that play showed the torque on his right knee that doctors say can do damage. He will have an MRI, but the medical staff is fearing that he has a torn ACL. Ford is not just a good player, but a great example of what a student athlete should be. The hope is he will have less of an injury than feared and that either way he will have a good outcome and excellent recovery.
This season, Ford has 15 unassisted tackles, seven assisted stops for a total of 22 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, four passes defended, five quarterback hurries, and two fumbles forced, one in the Baylor game.
Neither safety Tre Sterling or running back LD Brown played in the Baylor game but both were suited up. They should both be available for a bowl game. Receiver Tylan Wallace did not make the trip to Waco but he is still with the team. It is not expected that senior cornerback Rodarius Williams will play again this season. Head coach Mike Gundy added running back Chuba Hubbard to the list with offensive tackle Teven Jenkins of players that have opted out of the rest of the season.
Several players reported that Jenkins was in the stands at McLane Stadium for the win over Baylor. We did not see him, but there were multiple reports that he was there.
Defense was Outstanding
The offense had its’ best game statistically of the season. The defense was the same allowing only 156-yards, 70-yards rushing and 86-yards passing. Baylor averaged 2.4-yards per play and they were 4-of-17 on third downs.
“I’m just happy that we’re building a defensive culture here to match the offensive culture that we’ve had,” defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said calmly after the near shut out dominant effort. “You saw today that when we get both sides playing at that rate, we’re really tough to beat.”
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