Oklahoma State Picked Seventh in Big 12 Preseason Poll

In a new-look league, the Cowboys are projected to be a middle-of-the-road team.

Oklahoma State was picked seventh in the media-voted Big 12 Preseason Poll that released Thursday. Texas took the stop spot and had 41 of a possible 67 first-place votes. Despite being seventh, the Cowboys did hold a first-place vote.

The Cowboys enter 2023 after going 7-6 in 2022, dropping five of their final six games of the season. The Cowboys saw a lot of movement in the transfer portal this offseason. That mixed with changes to the conference, changes to offensive schemes and a new defense makes the Pokes a hard team to pick.

OSU’s schedule has been pegged to be on the lighter side entering the year, and the preseason poll backs that up. OSU avoids Texas (1), Texas Tech (4), TCU (5) and Baylor (6) this season. Meanwhile, the average ranking of the nine conference games the Cowboys do play is 9.1. And the two highest-ranked teams the Cowboys do play come to Boone Pickens Stadium.

Oklahoma State was picked third in the preseason poll ahead of last season before finishing fifth in the conference.

UCF was the highest newcomer in the poll at No. 8, just seven points behind the Cowboys. Oklahoma State travels to Orlando for a game against the Knights on Nov. 11.

The media predicts reigning Big 12 champ Kansas State will have a chance to defend its title against the Longhorns. The Wildcats’ 14 first-place votes left them just 28 points behind first-place Texas.

Texas Tech also enters the year with some offseason momentum with the Red Raiders coming fourth in the preseason poll and having the same amount of first-place votes as Oklahoma.

Big 12 Preseason Poll

1. Texas (41), 886
2. Kansas State (14), 858
3. Oklahoma (4), 758
4. Texas Tech (4), 729
5. TCU (3), 727
6. Baylor, 572
7. Oklahoma State (1), 470
8. UCF, 463
9. Kansas, 461
10. Iowa State, 334
11. BYU, 318
12. Houston, 215
13. Cincinnati, 202
14. West Virginia, 129