Offseason Power Rankings Released, Where Does Oklahoma State Stack Up

STILLWATER – The offseason for Oklahoma State athletics is about 99% underway, with just the Cowboys and Cowgirls track and field athletes set to compete in the upcoming NCAA Outdoor Championships. So, now is the time to start looking at the upcoming football season. 

There have been a few outlets release their yearly preseason power rankings, including ESPN, based on the previous season, the offseason, spring football, returning players and who’s coming in new, among other things.

The first list we’re going to talk about is from the College Sports Network, who ranked all 136 FBS teams. I typically don’t put a lot of opinion in pieces like this for a few reasons. First and foremost, these articles are usually just to provide information. No need to provide opinion. And secondly, in less you’re in Stillwater, or any other college town, and deeply involved in the football program, it’s hard to accurately predict how teams will be.

However, I’ll interject some opinion here: College Sports Network got it way wrong with Oklahoma State as they have the Cowboys No. 120. Just for reference, they have Georgia State at 119 and FIU at 117.

College Sports Network Big 12 Power Rankings

• No. 7 Arizona State
• No. 16 Iowa State
• No. 17 Kansas State
• No. 19 BYU
• No. 21 Baylor
• No. 28 Texas Tech
• No. 32 Colorado
• No. 35 Utah
• No. 43 TCU
• No. 48 Kansas
• No. 64 Cincinnati
• No. 65 UCF
• No. 73 Arizona
• No. 85 West Virginia
• No. 11 Houston
• No. 120 Oklahoma State

Are the Cowboys coming off the worst season since 4-7 in 2005? Yes. Did they go winless in conference play for the first time since 1994? Also yes. I also understand there is an entirely new assistant coaching staff and nearly an entirely new roster, including two quarterbacks with hardly any play time at this level. Players and coaches alike were complacent. It was just a very bad year.

But Mike Gundy has had more success than nearly 90% of the college coaches over the past 10-15 years and at the bare minimum demands to be at worst halfway down the list. 

The Cowboys have had a solid offseason in the West End Zone, with the coaches signing a solid portal class. 

Now, onto ESPN’s FPI. They have Oklahoma State about where I thought they would be, which is No. 67. 

ESPN’s FPI rankings for Big 12 

• No. 21 Kansas State
• No. 24 Arizona State 
• No. 29 BYU
• No. 30 Kansas
• No. 32 TCU
• No. 33 Baylor
• No. 35 Texas Tech
• No. 37 UCF
• No. 45 Iowa State
• No. 46 Utah
• No. 49 Colorado
• No. 54 Cincinnati
• No. 66 West Virginia
• No. 67 Oklahoma State
• No. 69 Arizona
• No. 75 Houston

I’m not going to sit here and tell you the Cowboys are going to be undefeated and play for a Big 12 title. There are too many unknowns going into this season really to predict any of the games. But when the Cowboys have been counted out before the season even starts, those are the years Mike Gundy really shines.

Well, guess what: The Cowboys might the most counted-out, not-talked about P4 team in the country. Let’s hope that translates to a fun season.