Which Oklahoma State football game is easiest? Toughest? Ranking Cowboys' schedule

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STILLWATER — It’s now less than three months until Eric Morris’ first game as the Oklahoma State football coach.

Speculation for how the Cowboys might perform under Morris offers a wide range of results. But looking at the schedule, it’s rather favorable, though also back-loaded with tough games.

Let’s take a look at just how tough the schedule could be, ranking the opponents from least challenging to most challenging:

Ranking Oklahoma State football opponents

Sept. 19 vs. Murray State

No surprises here. The FCS Racers went 1-11 last year, so even if they’re significantly improved, they shouldn’t pose a challenge to the Pokes.

Sept. 5 at Tulsa

What a fun way to lift the lid on the Morris era, on the road against the opponent that led to the coaching change in the first place. Tulsa certainly seems to be on the way up under Tre Lamb, and will be heavily motivated for this ballgame.

Oct. 24 vs. Colorado

Between last year’s nosedive to a 3-9 finish and coach Deion Sanders’ looming health issues, it’s hard to judge the stability of the program right now. Until further notice, this looks like the Cowboys’ easiest Big 12 game.

Oct. 10 vs. UCF

This was the closest the Cowboys came to a Big 12 win last year. It’s the home opener in conference play, coming after a week off. There should be lots of buzz in Boone Pickens Stadium for this one.

Sept. 26 at West Virginia

OSU will enter this game having lost its last 19 games against Big 12 opponents. Under Mike Gundy, the Pokes always seemed to play well at West Virginia, a trend Morris would love to continue.

Nov. 28 vs. Kansas

A Thanksgiving weekend finale at BPS that might have some actual consequences. After a two-year break from meaningful November football, this will be a welcomed return. Jalon Daniels is out of eligibility (no, seriously) so the Jayhawks will have a different look at quarterback this year.

Oct. 31 at Iowa State

The Gundy vs. Matt Campbell battles at Jack Trice Stadium were epic, but it’s a new era for both programs. Jimmy Rogers is trying to maintain the competitive level the Cyclones experienced regularly under Campbell, and like Morris, he has a mostly new roster.

Oct. 17 at Houston

Willie Fritz lifted the Cougars to a 10-win season in his second year, and Conner Weigman is back at QB, running the offense. This game could prove to be even more challenging than anticipated, though it comes at a point in the schedule where OSU could be building some positive momentum.

Nov. 21 at Arizona State

Arizona State is one of the harder-to-predict programs this year as Kenny Dillingham looks for his next quarterback. But the Sun Devils are certainly among the top half of the Big 12, with the potential to rise based on QB play.

Nov. 7 at Kansas State

Excitement is high for the Collin Klein-led Wildcats. And the Cowboys haven’t played well in Manhattan since pulling out a come-from-behind win in 2020. This comes in the middle of the most challenging stretch of the season, after Iowa State and ahead of Texas Tech.

Nov. 14 vs. Texas Tech

The Red Raiders are back in the same spot as the preseason favorite in the Big 12, and this mid-November meeting is sandwiched in the middle of a tough run of road games for the Cowboys.

Sept. 12 vs. Oregon

Cowboy fans, start preparing for the flashbacks and replayed highlights of last year’s meeting. But don’t expect a similar result. These Pokes will be more competitive. Can they beat a Ducks squad that is a top-five national title contender? Probably not. But 69-3 won’t happen again.

Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Scott? He can be reached at swright@oklahoman.com or on X at @ScottWrightOK. Support Scott’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ranking Oklahoma State football games from easiest to toughest

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