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OSU’s Path to the Postseason Is Looking Treacherous, but Here’s a Road Map

There’s more than Mike Gundy’s bowl streak at stake.

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Oklahoma State needs a win over Texas on Saturday in the worst way. There’s more at stake than just team morale or the psyche of OSU’s fanbase. Every game from here out has postseason implications.

A team that’s won 10 games in each of the last three years is somehow in real danger of not making the postseason after the first seven games of 2018.

The Cowboys are fresh off of a bye and a primed to host the No. 6 Texas Longhorns coming off of their own week off. The Pokes went into the break on a two-game skid and after starting 1-3 in the Big 12. Conversely, the Horns entered theirs white hot after dispatching the Sooners at the Texas State Fair and head to Stillwater on a six-game win streak.

Let’s’ take a look at that upcoming Homecoming game as well as the Pokes’ remaining slate and see how we can get the Cowboys bowling from a projection standpoint.

For our purposes we’re going to assume that Missouri State does qualify (there’s no indication that it doesn’t) as OSU’s one FCS win that can count toward its needed six wins. You might remember the issue that brought up questions about Florida State’s bowl eligibility last year with the Delaware State win. 

So the Pokes, now at 4-3, need to finish with at least six wins to be bowl eligible. Here’s a gander at the remaining slate.

Oct. 27 — Texas (Homecoming)
Nov. 3 — at Baylor
Nov. 10 — at Oklahoma
Nov. 17 — West Virginia
Nov. 24 — at TCU

The Road Map

Somewhere along these next five weeks, Mike Gundy will need to squeeze out two wins to keep his streak of 13 straight bowl appearances alive. Based on what we know about both the Big 12 and this OSU team, its two best chances are on the road.

A roughly 90-mile stretch of I-35 separates Fort Worth and Waco, Texas. Oklahoma State will need to place orange pins in both to have a great feeling about playing after Thanksgiving weekend.

Baylor finds itself in the same 4-3 boat that OSU does after a 23-17 loss at Texas before heading into its own off week. The Bears head to Morgantown to take on No. 13 West Virginia before their date with the Cowboys in two weeks.

The Horned Frogs, at 3-4, are worse off than both the Bears and the Cowboys. Gary Patterson’s squad is riding its own two-losing streak and has lost four of five with a narrow 17-14 home win over Iowa State its only conference victory.

Throw Out the Lifeline

How it is that Gundy gets to six wins is yet to be seen. A popular solution (and one I’m 100 percent on-board with), is a QB change. Now, not later. We’ve seen enough of what Taylor Cornelius can bring to the table, it’s time to try one or both of QBs 2 and 3, Spencer Sanders -or- Dru Brown.

Does the defense need to do some soul searching after that second half in Manhattan? Undoubtedly. Does special teams keep Mike Gundy awake at night? I sure hope so. But we’ve seen time and time again how a QB change can turn the tides of a season and change the trajectory of a program moving forward.

OSU is staring bowl elimination dead in the eye if it stays on its current path, one that charts across the No. 2-ranked remaining strength schedule according to ESPN. And you don’t want to go out without having used your two lifelines.

OSU could start Sanders on Saturday, or if he’s got the ability to help you, I say start Dru Brown. Why not try to offset the two to cover the final five to six games remaining? You may be able to keep both redshirts intact. Taylor Cornelius may very well get the nod against Texas, but I have a feeling his leash will be as short as it’s been all season.

Regardless of how the quarterback position pans out over these last five games, the Cowboys are going to have an uphill battle to make it to the postseason.

But a bowl bid would not only save some orange pride, it would allow for the additional practices and experience that comes with postseason play. And that’s paramount in building this team and this program for the future.

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