OU football loss, Oklahoma State upset show why college football is best show | Mussatto

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Boone Pickens Stadium erupted when the final from Ann Arbor was announced.

The Bedlam football series is dormant, but Sooners and Cowboys fans still take delight in the others’ demise.

Oklahoma State’s massive upset of Oregon coupled with a disappointing OU defeat gave the Pokes a reason to gloat. They earned it after enduring two years of misery. OU fans, meanwhile, had three reasons to grieve: an OU loss, an OSU win and an improbable Texas comeback against Ohio State.

Last Saturday was a reminder of why college football is the best show going.

The NFL product is more consistent, and way more balanced, but that leads to a lack of upsets. The Cardinals beating the Chargers was the NFL’s version of an underdog story in Week 1.

College football is filled with games that aren’t fair fights. It’s why we can’t stop talking about Western Michigan almost beating Michigan. Which makes OU’s loss to Michigan all the more dispiriting. Western Michigan > OU??? Of course not, but the Broncos can make the case!

What happened in Stillwater was wild. The Cowboys were 24.5-point underdogs! Oregon was 57-0 straight up since 1978 when favored by 24 or more points, according to ESPN, and OSU had lost 21 consecutive games against FBS opponents. And the Cowboys were clearly the better team, at least for one Saturday.

Which maybe means that Tulsa is good? Maybe not. The Golden Hurricane barely survived its trip to Huntsville, Texas. OK, so maybe Sam Houston State is decent. Except that Sam Houston State lost to Troy.

See, we can go around and around trying to make sense of results that don’t make any.

“It’s why you play the game,” OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg told The Oklahoman.

Let’s get to the rest of this week’s Minutes:

OU football opponent research: 5 things to know about New Mexico

Despite the schools being in bordering states, Oklahoma and New Mexico have only played twice. And not since FDR was in office. OU beat New Mexico 47-0 in 1930 and 25-0 in 1935. Both games were in Norman.
New Mexico is 2-0, outscoring opponents 108-14. The opponents were Central Michigan and FCS Mercyhurst. Bonus points if you knew that Mercyhurst is the Lakers. Or that it’s in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Speaking of nicknames, New Mexico became the Lobos in 1920. The name was chosen by the editor of the student newspaper, who was also a manager for the football team. “The Lobo is respected for his cunning, feared for his prowess, and is the leader of the pack,” a 1920 edition of the newspaper read. New Mexico’s colors are cherry and silver.
Jason Eck is in his second season as New Mexico’s coach after a successful three-year stint at FCS Idaho. Eck, last season, led the Lobos to their first bowl game since 2016.
After losing starter Jack Layne in the preseason, the Lobos have alternated between Oregon transfer Luke Moga and Toa Fa’avae at quarterback. Neither has thrown the ball much. The Lobos haven’t needed to throw.

Oklahoma State opponent research: 5 things to know about Murray State

Murray State University, OSU’s upcoming opponent, is in Murray, Kentucky — 627 miles from Murray State College in Tishomingo. Our Murray State only plays flag football.
OSU has Bullet. Murray State has Racer 1. Since 1985, Murray State’s live horse mascot has run a lap around the Stewart Stadium track after every Racer touchdown. Murray State’s original nickname was the Thoroughbreds. The school adopted Racers in the late 1950s.
Murray State is a basketball school. The Racers have made 18 NCAA Tournaments, including eight since 2000. They advanced to the Round of 32 in 2022 and 2019. Ja Morant starred on the 2019 team.
The Racers are 3-24 under third-year coach Jody Wright, who was the tight ends coach at South Carolina before taking the Murray State job. He was Alabama’s director of player personnel from 2015-17 — a three-year stretch in which the Crimson Tide won two national championships.
Murray State’s last game against a Big 12 opponent was in 2022 against Texas Tech. The Red Raiders beat the Racers 63-10.

OSU extends winning streak in home openers

Against all odds, Oklahoma State’s winning streak in home openers reached 31 games.

That’s the longest such streak in the nation, according to OSU public relations.

Looking at OSU’s future schedules, the streak will at least reach 33 games. OSU’s next two home openers are against Western Illinois in 2027 and Southeastern Louisiana in 2028 — a couple of FCS pushovers.

Then, in 2029, Tulsa comes to Stillwater for the opener. That, as recent history has shown, is no gimme.

OSU’s last home-opening loss was to No. 2 Nebraska on Aug. 31, 1995.

During the 31-game streak, OSU has only played four power-conference opponents: Oregon (2026), Washington State (2010), Georgia (2009), Mississippi State (1998).

NFL Sooner of the Week

Lane Johnson, RT, Eagles: Johnson announced that this season, his 14th in the NFL, will likely be his last. The 36-year-old Philly lifer remains one of the best tackles in the league. He was the Eagles’ highest-graded offensive lineman in their 24-22 win against the Commanders, according to Pro Football Focus.

NFL Cowboy of the Week

Chuba Hubbard, RB, Panthers: Hubbard had one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown in the Panthers’ 59-37 loss to the Bears. He had 49 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards. Hubbard is in his sixth NFL season, all with the Panthers. Hubbard has 24 career rushing touchdowns, tied with Chris Carson for fourth most among former Cowboys.

Bedlam bets

Here are my OU and OSU picks for the week.

OU vs. New Mexico

Line: Sooners by 22.5

Pick: OU 30, New Mexico 10

Sandwiched between road trips to Michigan and Georgia, this had the makings of a trap game. But then a couple of things happened. First, New Mexico quarterback Jack Layne, the returning starter from a nine-win team, underwent season-ending elbow surgery. And then OU lost at Michigan, which means New Mexico will have the Sooners’ attention more so than if OU was 2-0 with a clash in Athens upcoming. I’m picking a comfortable OU win, but give me the Lobos plus the points.

Picking the Sooners this season: 1-1 straight up, 1-1 against the spread

OSU vs. Murray State

Line: Cowboys by 57.5

Pick: OSU 63, Murray State 10

I had to access the dark corners of the internet to find an OSU-Murray State line. That’s a sign that we should all stay away. (But if I had to pick a side … Murray State, it is. That’s a whole lot of points).

Picking the Cowboys this season: 1-1 straight up, 1-1 against the spread

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football loss, Oklahoma State upset show why college football is best show | Mussatto

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