Boone: Five Predictions Sure to Come True in the 2018 OSU Football Season

It’s that time of year again. As we do before every season, we all go on wax to lay out our sure-to-come-true predictions for the OSU football season.

Last season I was totally spot on (please, just trust me, no need to verify that claim), so let’s put our cards on the table. I’m ready to fire up my cannon of #takes.

1. Oklahoma State wins 10 games

I’m going to write about why this can happen later in the week, but I’m definitely talking myself into this becoming a real possibility. Heisman candidate at tailback, three Big 12-starting caliber options at QB, Tyron + Tylan, and a new-look defense that I’m all-in on.

Vegas says the win total over/under is 8. I’m putting it 9.5 and taking the over.

2. Dru Brown takes over at QB midseason

Nothing at all has led me to believe that anyone but Taylor Cornelius will be the QB taking the first snaps of the season. And nothing at all has led me to believe he won’t be the QB for the entirety of the season.

But I think Dru Brown left a starting job at Hawaii for a reason. He didn’t come to hold a clipboard. He wants to play Big 12 football, and I think when he gets his shot to take snaps this season, it becomes the inflection point of OSU’s season. He has the arm, he has the escapability, and he has the “it” factor that is going to be impossible to keep him off the field.

3. OSU plays in the Big 12 title game

I took a deep dive into Bill Connelly’s S+P ratings and I came up drenched in the orange kool-aid. So forgive me, but I think OSU might sneakily rock this year.

I’ve already gone on record saying 10 wins is reachable, so I’m doubling down by pegging the Pokes to end their season in the Big 12 title game vs. OU before making their way to a bowl game. This would be the equivalent of Mike Gundy pulling a rabbit out of his mullet mid-presser, by the way. No one is giving OSU love as a conference contender this preseason.

4. OSU opens the season 9-0

Similar to 2015 when OSU reeled off 10-straight before losing its final three games, I think the season — and this schedule — sets up for a clean run at perfection deep into October.

There’s a real possibility 6-0 is attainable (if OSU can knock off Iowa State at home, but more trickily, Kansas in Lawrence!), but the next three are the doozies where things could go either way: At K-State, vs. Texas, and at Baylor. I’m going to toe the line of crazy and say they get it done and head to Norman on Nov. 10 undefeated.

Give me another sip of the kool-aid!

5. Justice Hill is a Heisman finalist

I’m of the belief that Hill can legitimately win the Heisman — er, excuse me, Hei5man © — but I think he’s starting the season at a disadvantage with Bryce Love, Jonathan Taylor and J.K. Dobbins all getting more love than him. Nonetheless, his production will help narrow the gap between the other stallions that will be considered.

If he can end the season at the Heisman ceremony, I think that’s a win. And to me, I think that’s a pretty attainable prediction if he performs even a smidge above the level he has the last two seasons.