Daily Bullets (Aug. 25): Pokes Too High in the AP Top-25?

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OSU Bullets

• The preseason AP poll was released yesterday and the Pokes were projected to finish in the top-15 (barely). One national writer says he’d sell his stock in the Pokes and here’s why:

This is one of those instances where I think there’s a lot of assuming going on. We assume that with a healthy trio of Spencer Sanders, Chuba Hubbard and Tylan Wallace that the Cowboys will win a lot of games. It’s a logical one to make, as that’s a very talented trio that not many other teams in the Big 12 can match.

There’s a flaw in it, though. The flaw is that Oklahoma State had that trio healthy for the first eight games of last season and was only 5-3. So, it’s not like this team was a juggernaut before injuries derailed the season. [CBS Sports]

I hear that but I’d give two compelling counterpoints: quarterbacks generally get better with age and experience (Mike Gundy says the game slows down for QBs after 15 games) and the defense is only getting better.

• No updates on Collin Clay’s eligibility yet (boooo) – the guy looks massive in the pics in the article

• Bill Haisten takes a detailed look at OSU’s offensive line situation

• Gundy says he could see “five to seven freshmen” on the field this fall – I assume some of these guys are offensive linemen but PFB took a stab at who a handful of them will be

• Parts of “Why Can’t I Get Excited for College Football” resonated with me

• Cowboy Football has two active COVID cases

Really impressive review of Doug Gottlieb here from Desmond Mason – that half-court lob in KC was impressive:

I have said this over & over and anyone that has interviewed me knows that Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) & CP3 are the two best passing point guards I’ve ever played with & I give a slight nudge to DG! CP is as talented as they come and is a NBA y’all of famer! I’ve been blessed! https://t.co/iROQztcK6f

— D.Mason (@dmasonart) August 24, 2020

• Marcus Smart for QB1:

What do you think @CowboyFB? Does @smart_MS3 have an arm or what? #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/BJPpxX3etS

— OSU Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) August 24, 2020

Non-OSU Bullets

• Why we (probably) won’t remember anything from the COVID lockdown
• Pretty cool to see what Roman emperors (probably) looked like
• Enjoyed these two NBA pieces on their local markets: the most upset 76ers beat writer (before they were bounced 4-0) and what KD and the Nets have in front of them