Big 12 made it hard for OSU but Cowboys can seize control if they survive next three weeks
- Sep 18, 2024 Updated 5 hrs ago
Tyler Waldrep
OSU Sports WriterSTILLWATER — When Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy first saw the team’s conference schedule, he had the same thought most Cowboy fans probably had regarding back-to-back games with Utah and Kansas State.
Gundy also realized he probably needs to update his Christmas shopping list.
“I thought they were trying to make it hard on us, to be honest with you,” Gundy said. “The commissioner is my buddy but he doesn’t do the scheduling. I sent the wrong guy pecans at Christmas. I should have sent the scheduling guy pecans at Christmas.”
There’s a strong case to be made that No. 14 Oklahoma State actually got the worst end of the stick when the Big 12 schedule got released.
For most of the offseason, Utah, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Kansas and Arizona were discussed as the Big 12’s top championship contenders in 2024.
The Cowboys and the No. 12 Utes are the only top teams to play back-to-back games against other contenders this fall, and all three games come in the next two weekends.
After Saturday’s game in Boone Pickens Stadium, Oklahoma State travels to No. 13 Kansas State while Utah hosts Arizona. Actually, the Wildcats (2-1) will be coming off a bye after getting blown out 31-7 at Kansas State.
“I’m sure they set this up on success over an extended period of time and on what they thought were games that could determine what happens at the end of the year,” Gundy said on Oklahoma State’s upcoming back-to-back games. “Their job is create games that are going to draw viewership. I’m going to guess that is what they had in mind when they scheduled these games.”
If either Oklahoma State or Utah can survive that gauntlet, they will likely be a sizable favorite to lock up a spot in the Big 12 Championship game. However, Utah will get to enjoy a bye week after that.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys must host a West Virginia team coming off its own bye.
In fact, Oklahoma State is one of only five teams in the Big 12 to face two conference opponents this season who have an extra week of rest ahead of the meeting. The Cowboys’ other opponent with a rest advantage is homecoming foe Arizona State, whose 3-0 record might be the biggest early-season surprise in the Big 12.
No one got more unlucky with bye weeks than the Cowboys. Meanwhile, Kansas State, TCU, Baylor, Cincinnati, and Houston never find themselves at a rest disadvantage greater than two days.
“The teams in this league are going to beat each other up,” Gundy said. “It is going to be week-to-week. That is good for television. That is good for everything. At some point, it might make it a little different when the committee starts picking teams. You just have to live week-to-week.”
Other scheduling quirks include:
Colorado and Arizona State are the only teams in the conference to play all five preseason contenders. Colorado actually faces Utah, Kansas and Oklahoma State in a 13-day stretch to finish the season.
Iowa State ends the season against Utah and Kansas State in back-to-back weeks, giving the Cyclones perhaps the most significant ability to impact the conference standings down the stretch.
