Ranking the Difficulty of Oklahoma State’s 2018 Home Games

Oklahoma State’s football schedule this season is heavy on home affairs up front, but by Halloween, all but one will be in the books. Games in Boone Pickens Stadium will be vital to OSU planting its flag inside the top 15 (higher?) over the first half of the season, but they’ll have to go on the road late if they have any hopes of playing for the 2018 Big 12 title.

With that in mind — and with a little help from Michael Scott, not to be confused with Mike Scott — let’s rank the difficult of OSU’s seven home tilts.

1. Boise St.

I have this ranked first because it’s such a make or break game. Win this over a top 25 team heading into Big 12 play, and all of a sudden 6-0 or 7-0 becomes not only a possibility but maybe even a probability. Lose it, and you’re left wandering a bit heading into the conference slate, especially if there are QB issues.

So while this might not technically be OSU’s most difficult home game — although based on the Coaches Poll, it’s close (WVU, Texas and Boise are ranked 20-22) — it’s certainly the most important. I’m already nervous.

Concern

2. Texas

Tom Herman might be the strangest human being in college football, but I also think he knows what he’s doing (or what he’s trying to do). Or maybe he doesn’t — I might be talking myself out of this in two sentences! Regardless, Texas has had success in Stillwater when other teams haven’t.

OSU has won three in a row and four of five overall but only once in Stillwater since 1997. That obviously doesn’t mean much with new players, a new coach and a different-looking program, but recent history says the Horns’ defensive athletes give the Pokes fits when it comes to doing what they do best. OSU has only cracked the 40-point mark one time since that 1997 win.

Concern

3. West Virginia

It’s going to be fascinating to see where both teams sit in the Big 12 standings going into this game the week before Thanksgiving. It could be for a spot in the Big 12 Championship. It could be, for OSU, for a chance to play TCU the following week for a spot in the Big 12 Championship. It could be, for WVU, for a chance to play OU the following week for a spot in the Big 12 Championship.

Heck, WVU could realistically come to Stillwater 10-0 and get Baylored by Cornball Baron and the Cowboys in a night game on FOX. Anything is possible.

Fun fact: WVU has only scored more than 34 on OSU one time since joining the Big 12, and it came last year and took approximately 92 possessions and six non-offensive TDs to get it done.

Concern

4. Iowa St.

Iowa State reeks of the team that seems like they’re going to be great as an underdog all season but can’t solve its own schedule and ends up in the Texas Bowl in December. Still, I have many Iowa State scars.

Concern

5. Texas Tech

Oklahoma State hasn’t lost to Texas Tech in Stillwater since …

*double checks

*triple checks

… since Spencer Sanders was 1 year old.

Concern

6. S. Alabama

I’ve been calling South Alabama, “Alabama State” for the last two months if that tells you how worried I am about this game. The Jags went 4-8 last year and lost their last two games to Georgia State and New Mexico State by a combined 74-17. Not good.

Concern

7. Missouri State

Hopefully we look back on this one in a year or two as “the Keondre Wudtee game.” Jim Knowles might coach the second half from the roof of BPS so his cigar smoke won’t get in Mike Yurcich’s eyes in the press box.

Concern