You know how the fair haired child story goes? Where one gets all the attention because it's more attractive than the other. That's sort of how its been for the Oklahoma State Cowboys – always living in the shadows of the Sooners. Oklahoma is preseason No. 1 in the polls but this year the Pokes are getting tons of attention from 2011 College Football Predictions experts as their No. 8 ranking in the 2011 Preseason USA-Today Coaches Poll indicates. OSU might not be No. 1 but there's plenty of swagger up in Stillwater.
Mike Gundy's done a great job in his six years coaching his alma mater. The 2010 season is best in OSU's football history and that's going back a ways. The Cowboys won 11 games for the first time in school history. It also marked the first time the school's won 10 games in the regular season, and in the process, earned a share of the Big 12 South Championship with Texas A&M and Oklahoma. In spite of winning 10 of 12 regular season games a year ago, media pundits voted OSU to finish third in 2011 behind the Sooners and Aggies.
The Cowboys are loaded on offense, returning 10 starters from that great 2010 team. Leading the way will be quarterback Justin Weeden and probably the best wide-out in the country – Justin Blackmon. Weeden, currently on the Manning Award watch list for top-quarterback, had seven 300-yard passing games and three of over 400 and completed a touchdown pass in every game. Blackmon, who's on every award watch list imaginable, is back to set all kinds of records. Blackmon has proven he's one of the best receivers of all time; coming off the sixth-best receiving season in NCAA history with an OSU record of 1,782 yards and 20 touchdowns, also a school record. Blackmon's accomplishments and projections are almost too numerous to name.
On defense the Cowboys are a work in progress but reports out of August drills indicate several youngsters are stepping up on the defensive front led by tackle Nigel Nicholas. But until the line comes of age, OSU's defensive secondary is experienced with guys like Brodrick Brown, Justin Gilbert, Markelle Martin and Johnny Thomas. They've got some talent at linebacker with Shaun Lewis.
The sky's the limit for the 2011 Cowboys. We know the offense is second to none. So for the Pokes to get to championship level; they must be able to stop the other guy. It will be an interesting season to watch indeed.
College Football Predictions Oklahoma State Cowboys
Total Number of Wins (Over/Under) Over 8.5 (-105) Under 8.5 (-125)
Big 12 Championship Odds: +800
2012 BCS Championship Odds: +3500
