Where will Oklahoma State football find four more wins to gain bowl eligibility?
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State has gone to a bowl game in 17 straight seasons under coach Mike Gundy.
Yet after a deflating 2-2 start to the season, how realistic is an 18th straight bowl trip?
With a week off to regroup, the Cowboys will next be on the field on a Friday night, Oct. 6, when they play host to Kansas State in a 6:30 p.m. kickoff at Boone Pickens Stadium.
That begins the quest for four more wins to reach bowl eligibility.
Once touted as one of the easier schedules in the Big 12 this season, OSU’s future opponents aren’t looking quite as soft now. A few of the teams absent from OSU football’s schedule — TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech — aren’t as scary now as they were in July, while some of the Pokes’ opponents have outperformed expectations early in the season.
While it might be a benefit that the Cowboys’ toughest remaining opponents come to BPS, it also means OSU will have to win some important games on the road.
Here’s a look at OSU’s remaining games, ranked by winnability:
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Nov. 18 at Houston
This game is still nearly two months away, so things could change, but Houston looks like the easiest game on the schedule from here out. This is the second game in back-to-back weeks on the road, following a visit to Central Florida. Most likely, this will be a must-win situation for the Pokes.
Oct. 28 vs. Cincinnati
The Bearcats look like a solid middle-of-the-league squad, but they’re just now getting their first taste of Big 12 play. Based solely on Cincy’s talent level, this game should be lower on the list, but it’s homecoming for the Cowboys, which always provides a little extra juice.
Oct. 21 at West Virginia
Just a couple weeks ago, this game might’ve been atop the list of easiest remaining OSU opponents, but West Virginia has been making some noise lately. OSU usually seems to play well in Morgantown, but this isn’t the cupcake it once was.
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Nov. 25 vs. BYU
If the Pokes win the three games above, this could be their shot at bowl eligibility on Thanksgiving weekend. BYU already has a solid road win, at Arkansas, this season, and has held up better than was expected in its first Big 12 season.
Nov. 11 at Central Florida
This could prove to be one of the most pivotal games of the Cowboys’ season. It comes the week after Bedlam and sets the stage for the final three games, all against new conference members. UCF looks solid, escaping with a tough win at Boise State and giving Kansas State a fight last week.
Oct. 6 vs. Kansas State
This one gets a bump up the list because of some outside factors. For one, it’s a Friday night game, and weird things happen on Friday nights. It’s also OSU’s blackout game, which seems to generate a unique energy. But K-State still comes in as the favorite, and both teams will be coming off an open week, so there’s no advantage there.
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Oct. 14 vs. Kansas
OSU will have Terry Miller in the house for his Ring of Honor induction and could use some of his throwback toughness vibes. Kansas has quickly risen from perennial doormat to a top-four team in the league. The Cowboys need to find a way to reinvigorate the BPS aura that carried them through the 2021 season and a good part of last year.
Nov. 4 vs. OU
The last Bedlam for the foreseeable future will be a meaningful game, but it’s also the toughest opponent left on the Cowboy schedule. It comes in the middle of a stretch with three road trips in five weeks. And the tension of the season likely will have built to an unmatched point by the time Bedlam arrives.
Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Scott? He can be reached at swright@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @ScottWrightOK. Sign up for the Oklahoma State Cowboys newsletter to access more OSU coverage. Support Scott’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football needs four more wins to gain bowl eligibility
