ESPN Tabs Oklahoma State No. 24 in Too-Early 2019 Power Rankings

Summer is upon us and with the final sports of spring in their twilight, it is time to look forward to football. ESPN, never to be outdone in headline-grabbing or prognosticating prematurely, has assembled a power ranking for this upcoming fall’s college football season.

And wouldn’t you know it, Oklahoma State is among the 25 teams listed, barely getting in at No. 24.

Only four teams on the list had an equal or worse record last season than OSU.

No. 18 Miami (7-6)
No. 19 TCU (7-6)
No. 22 Michigan State (7-6)
No. 23 Nebraska (4-8)

How about Nebraska ahead of OSU?

I’ll admit I was a Scott Frost believer, but the Huskers finished better than only the Fighting Illini in the Big Ten West last year.

The Cowboys were the fourth of four Big 12 teams included in the ranking.

No. 4 Oklahoma
No. 7 Texas (almost back)
No. 19 TCU
No. 24 Oklahoma State

Here’s some of what Adam Rittenberg had to say about the Pokes in 2019.

 A lot hinges on redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Sanders, an ESPN 300 recruit in 2018, and new offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson, who arrives from Princeton. There’s plenty of offensive talent elsewhere, from Biletnikoff Award finalist Tylan Wallace to sophomore running back Chuba Hubbard to three returning line starters.

Oklahoma State’s better defenses under Gundy have subsisted on pressure and takeaways to offset yards allowed. Second-year coordinator Jim Knowles needs more from the unit and will lean on a secondary filled with non-seniors who gained experience in 2018. Defensive line development will be key, as transfer Israel Antwine (Colorado) enters the mix. [ESPN]

Nothing too compelling that hasn’t already been echoed on the pages of this blog or across most local water coolers. The quarterback battle is as compelling as it’s ever been potentially featuring a freshman paired up with an OC with just as much Division I experience.

The defense has its own questions to answer and Mike Gundy needs it to be a steadying force for the first time since… ???

The inclusion of a non-blueblood program following a 7-6 season, and with all of the unknowns, points to Gundy having earned some faith nationally after churning out 10-win seasons in four of the previous five years before 2018.

This is the second straight summer that we are looking at an Oklahoma State team with wide gap between its ceiling and its floor. Last year’s team ended up closer to latter. If Gundy wants to stay in the good graces of college football’s talking heads, let’s hope 2019 is a different story.