It is not every season we get a match-up of the top two teams in the BCS standings in early November, but #1 LSU will travel to Tuscaloosa to take on #2 Alabama in a match-up that has some calling it the Game of the Century (how original). The meeting of the giants could certainly show which team will carve their own path to the BCS Championship game in New Orleans this season as the winner will be expected to wrap up an SEC title and a spot in the big game in January while the loser will still hold an excellent change at grabbing a BCS at-large berth.
Meanwhile in Stillwater the #3 Oklahoma State Cowboys will wait patiently for the SEC schools to play their game and slide in to the vacant position at number two on Sunday. Oklahoma State is playing very focused football right now and appear to be on a mission to play for their first BCS Championship, which would also be their first BCS bowl game since the adoption of the BCS system (Oklahoma State’s last appearance in one of today’s BCS bowls was the 1974 Fiesta Bowl, almost 30 seasons after their only other “BCS bowl” appearance in the 1946 Sugar Bowl.) For the Cowboys, it will be important to not lose that focus and intensity, especially this weekend against a Kansas State team that stubbed a few toes against a rebounding Oklahoma squad a week ago, and has shown an ability to play some solid defense.
We know that Oklahoma State has an offense that is clicking on all cylinders. Even when they have an off-day they will still manage to score 30 points on almost any defense. They have scored fewer than 40 points in a game just three times this season (Arizona, Texas A&M, and Texas) and while their defense will give up points it should also be considered that giving up points will happen and is OK when the offense scores at will, averaging nearly 50 points per game. Assuming they don’t slip up against Kansas State, who took their first loss last week to the Sooners, then Oklahoma State will be in the driver’s seat for a BCS championship opportunity, as they should move in to the second spot in the rankings Sunday evening with a win.
If that happens then they will enter the final three weeks of the season with a couple of appetizers before an historic Bedlam Series game against the Sooners, who should not be considered out of the BCS title picture just yet with one loss. Can Oklahoma State keep playing at a high enough level to complete the first undefeated season in school history since going 9-0 in 1945? Without taking too much away from their accomplishments so far, have they given a full team effort in proving they are capable of running with the big boys just yet?
Oklahoma State’s offense can hang with anyone but can they come through in the clutch against one of the top defenses in the nation? They can answer that test this weekend because few should expect Kansas State’s defense to lay an egg the way they did last week. I think the Cowboys have little trouble this weekend against Kansas State, but I wonder if they are ready to take the place of Oklahoma in the Big 12 throne. We’re still a few weeks away from knowing for sure.
For now, the key for Mike Gundy will be to keep his team locked in on the big prize at the end of the season. This is a season in which you do not want to lose a football game. Not with LSU or Alabama expected to go undefeated, and not with Stanford having their way in the Pac 12 and most certainly not with Boise State or Houston thinking of snatching one of the BCS at-large berths on the table. One loss in November will make it much more difficult for a team like Oklahoma State to reach the BCS. Even if the only loss of the season is against Oklahoma, it may prove to be difficult to reach the BCS this season.
That is why Oklahoma State needs to embrace this opportunity and not let it slip through their fingers. Everything is laying out in front of them. Can they seize it?
