Six Thoughts on Oklahoma State’s 2020 Football Schedule

It got a little buried by all the gnashing of teeth over Mike Gundy and this year’s OSU football team, but next year’s football schedule was actually released earlier in the week, and I — this may stun you — have some thoughts.

First, let’s take a look at the slate.

Here are my thoughts.

1. Bedlam: Why? I mean, I get it from the Big 12’s perspective. You’re thinking, “Well these two teams are clearly elite and will probably play for the Big 12 title on December 5 so we don’t want them going in back to back weeks.” But why?

That is a joke by the way. Here is OSU’s record against OU by month since 2000.

October: 0-1
November: 2-12
December: 2-2

We should be rooting for more December Bedlams, it seems.

2. Thursday Opener: I love this. I don’t care what the perception is, I love the Thursday night opener. I know it kind of stinks for fans and for Stillwater businesses and it feels like maybe not the most big-time move, but I think it’s fantastic from a viewing perspective. People are jacked by the opening Thursday night for any football, which leads to a ton of coverage and a ton of interest. For this site, for the program as a whole and for the general vibe in OSU world, opening Thursday (or Friday) > opening Saturday.

3. Bye Bye: The Big 12 stretch is brutal for OSU. Gundy will love the bye week coming after the non-conference slate and before conference play starts (although I’m not sure it will actually help his recent 2-6 record in Big 12 openers), but nine straight weeks of Power 5 football is monstrous. I know there are probably logistical reasons that I’m not privy to, but feels like you could start the season a week earlier and slide in another bye week later on like there is this year.

4. Even Years: The two best bets of any OSU season are that they’re going to lose to OU and beat Kansas so I prefer the even-numbered years when those games are on the road (even though you get fewer Big 12 games at home).

There’s no advantage to having KU or OU at home if those two things are going to be true no matter where you play (although home Bedlam has been incredible in recent years). I would prefer to have Texas, WVU, Iowa State and Tech — all games that could swing depending on locale — in Boone Pickens Stadium (remind me of this when KU wallops OSU next season and Les Miles does James Harden doing Les Miles in the postgame).

the slow turn & stare-down is quintessential Les Miles. Pure gold. pic.twitter.com/2MqQzlDyVa

— Carson Cunningham (@KOCOCarson) October 3, 2019

5. Texas at the end: I love it. If not OU then I love having Texas here. Horns at home over Thanksgiving. Think about some of the ludicrous games they’ve played over the years. From Big 12 commissioner’s office-gate in 2012 to last year’s “are you not entertained?” kerfuffle between Gundy and Herman, this one could (should) be a jewel if, you know, OSU gets its stuff together in the next 13 months.

6. Home at last: The juxtaposition with this year is pretty interesting.

On November 1, 2019: OSU will have played three home games.
On September 19, 2020: OSU will have played three home games.

That’s not really good or bad, but I think I like the overall rhythm of next year’s home-away schedule a little bit better than this year’s. Although that Kansas State game would terrify me if I thought OSU had a chance of contending to get to the Big 12 Championship (which — at least right now — I don’t).