Boone: Five Predictions for Oklahoma State Athletics in 2020

It’s a new year, so why not start my clean slate by bungling my credibility? Predictions have a way of making everyone look silly, myself included. But here I am, ready to take fire for some predictions in 2020 that could blow up in my face as soon as this week.

Let’s do it.

2020 predictions

1. Chuba returns

Call this equal parts hunch and sourced. I’ve talked to a few people around this situation who think Chuba is gone to the NFL, and others who have told me Chuba is coming back. Parsing through my conversations, I get the impression he’ll be back. If he does, the best player in the Big 12 next season — and maybe the country — will be donning orange and black. Inject it into my veins.

2. Oklahoma State gets to the Sweet 16

This might not be the best time to go out on a limb for Oklahoma State after opening Big 12 play at 0-2 and going 2-5 in its last seven, but y’know what? YOLO. I think this team is really good. I’ll buy your stock if you’re selling. Likekele is back, but it’s clear he’s not 100 percent. When he gets there, we’ve seen how good this team can be. They’re maybe not as good as their 7-0 opening record suggests they are, but they’re not as bad as their 2-5 stretch indicates, either. Top to bottom talent-wise, I think this team can push into the second weekend of the NCAAs once it figures things out.

3. Gundy hires an OC on the internet again

After losing Sean Gleeson to Rutgers, recent murmurs have centered around Todd Monken, the former OSU OC who is now with the Browns, and Kasey Dunn, OSU’s long-time receivers coach. I’ll take the field. If Gundy had his way, Monken would be dressed head-to-toe in OSU gear two weeks ago, but I think Monken stays in the NFL and Gundy has to hire elsewhere. I can see it now, Gundy walks into his office in the west end zone of Boone Pickens Stadium, surveys the field, picks up his phone and whispers those magic words: Hey siri, google top FCS offenses in 2019.

4. OSU football wins the Big 12

Baylor just lost its coach, OU just lost its Heisman-caliber QB, Texas is still playing handicapped so long as Tom Herman is calling the shots. The door is open for OSU to take it. If Chuba returns, OSU gets its big three of Sanders-Tylan-Chuba together to start the decade off with a bang. I’m Babe-Ruthing this one into existence.

5. OSU’s defense is the best in the Big 12

According to S&P, OSU’s defense ranked fifth in the Big 12 this season. And that’s after there were legitimate calls from fans to fire DC Jim Knowles midseason. Knowles then turned things around in a big way down the stretch, with the defense holding opponents below their season average in scoring for the final six games of the season. OSU gets Trace Ford, Kolby Harvell-Peel, Jarrick Bernard, Malcolm Rodriguez and a ton of other starters back on that unit. I think it has a chance to be 2013 defense good.