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Oklahoma St. AD: Gundy doesn't want tough non-conference state

Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder and football coach Mike Gundy clearly have a difference in non-conference scheduling opinion.

Holder made the separate philosophies apparent in an interview with the Oklahoman's Berry Tramel.

“My football coach doesn’t want to play anybody any good, definitely, but jiminy Christmas, we looked pretty good against Florida State,” Holder said of the 2014 season opener, which the Cowboys lost 37-31. “Until we beat OU, that was the highlight of our season.”

The topic of scheduling is big because of the way Baylor was treated throughout the College Football Playoff rankings because of its porous non-conference schedule. The Bears played Buffalo, SMU and Northwestern State outside of the Big 12. Baylor ended up fifth and outside the playoff in the final standings while TCU, the team Baylor beat for its only loss of the season, was dropped to sixth when the head-to-head matchup between the teams came into play.

Holder said it was important for Big 12 teams to schedule good teams outside of the conference. The game against Florida State was in Dallas and Oklahoma State hung with the Seminoles throughout the game. Thanks to the win over Oklahoma in the last game of the season, Oklahoma State finished the season 6-6 and is going to the Cactus Bowl.

In 2015, however, the Cowboys don't have any major conference opponents scheduled. It's the first year since 2006, when OSU played Missouri State, Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic and Houston, that the Cowboys haven't played a team from a Power Five conference outside of the Big 12.

“I’m stuck with that one,” Holder said. “It’s so cost-prohibitive (to get out of contracts). It’s over a million dollars. It’s problematic now. And you hate to leave somebody high and dry this late.”

But Holder said he was adamant with his fellow athletic directors.

“It’s not about bowl eligibility anymore,” Holder said he told them. “Guys, we can control that nonconference schedule. As a group, we’ve got to decide if we’re going to schedule for bowl eligibility or we’re going to schedule to win a national championship. And everyone in this room directly affects this league.”

For more Oklahoma State news, visit OStateIllustrated.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!