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Big 12 football: 3 must-watch games for week 2

By Jacob Milham

Sep 4, 2021; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Hudson Card (1) throws a pass against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in the first half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2021; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Hudson Card (1) throws a pass against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in the first half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 4, 2021; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy watches his team warm up before the game against the Missouri State Bears at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2021; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy watches his team warm up before the game against the Missouri State Bears at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /

The Oklahoma State Cowboys came scarily close to losing their season opener. Can the Tulsa  Golder Hurricanes upset the Cowboys in Stillwater?

The betting favorite enter Week 2, head coach Mike Gundy’s Cowboys did not inspire much confidence in Week 1. The Missouri State Bears nearly came back from a 20-0 1st half deficit, ultimately losing 23-16. While the Cowboys are a young team, they were still picked to finish 4th in the Big 12 this year.

The team that opened 2021 did not look the part.

Still, whether it is by one point of 99 points, a win is a win.

Oklahoma State still received 39 votes for the AP top 25 poll, ahead of teams such as Michigan State, Kansas State, and Indiana. The Cowboys have the coaching staff and talent to succeed in 2021, and can right the ship against Tulsa this week.

The Golden Hurricanes are coming off a 2020 campaign that saw them take Cincinnati to the limit in the AAC Championship game, then lose by two points in the Armed Forces Bowl. While the team did lose some talent to graduation and the NFL draft, no one expected their 2021 season opener to go so badly. Tulsa lost to UC Davis 19-17, despite a stellar performance from running back Deneric Prince.

With both teams entering the 2021 Turnpike Classic following lackluster season openers, this will be a battle of something to prove. The running game will be key for both teams, but Oklahoma State’s pass rush could be a deciding factor if the offense does its job.

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