The Oklahoma State Cowboys currently sit at a 4-2 record on the season. Their two losses came on a controversial call that should not have been called against Central Michigan and to 15th ranked Baylor. When they lost to Central Michigan, the Cowboys were ranked 22nd. Had the Hail Mary not counted, the Cowboys could be a Top 15 team or higher. They should be ranked regardless.
Oklahoma State Should Be Ranked
The Cowboys have won three of their last four games and have looked very impressive on both sides of the ball. Their first win after that loss against Central Michigan came against James Connor, a very impressive running back, and Pitt. The Oklahoma State defense held Connor to just 4.6 yards per carry.
Wide receiver James Washington has also been a big part of the team’s success. Against Pitt, he recorded 296 receiving yards and two touchdowns. In their last game against Iowa State, he recorded 152 receiving yards and another two touchdown catches.
The biggest key to the Cowboys’ hot start is quarterback Mason Rudolph. In their four wins, he averaged 368.5 passing yards per game. Even in their two losses, he’s averaged 282.5 yards per game. Rudolph and Washington have proven to be a dynamic duo, even in a loss.
The argument can also be made that the Cowboys have not played as well as they could have. While this is true, sometimes it’s not how you start; it’s how you finish. After scoring the go-ahead touchdown against Pitt, the defense was able to keep Pitt from winning the game.
Defense also stepped up huge against Iowa State. The Cowboys recorded seven sacks on Cyclones quarterback Joel Lanning as they overcame a 17-point deficit to win.
Thank You, Other Ranked Teams
Other higher-ranked teams also make the case on why the Oklahoma State Cowboys should be ranked high. When a high-ranked team loses and a lower-ranked team wins, that lower-ranked team rises in the AP poll and the higher-ranked team drops in the poll.
If the Cowboys had that Hail Mary call go in their favor against Central Michigan, they would have gone up in the rankings from 22, as 15th ranked Texas Christian fell to Arkansas that same week.
Second ranked Florida State fell to Louisville the following week. Louisville, then ranked third, went on to fall to Clemson a few weeks later. Iowa, ranked 13th at one point, is now out of the Top 25. Tenth ranked Miami lost to 23rd ranked Florida State over the last weekend.
There are many more teams that have fallen to either another Top 25 team or an unranked team, but there’s too many to list. The Cowboys have lost just once in that stretch. That was to a Top 15 team in Baylor.
The Cowboys could have seen themselves in the Top 10 going into Week 7, possibly at the top of the Big 12. Call it crazy, but they could have been in talks for the College Football Playoff. While they won’t make the playoff, they do still have a shot at getting to a big bowl game, possibly as a ranked team.
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