Athlon B-12 Preview
https://athlonsports.com/college-football/big-12-football-2017-predictions
2. Oklahoma State vs. Texas
Deciding between Oklahoma State or Texas for the No. 2 spot in the Big 12 predictions was probably the toughest debate of Athlon’s preseason meeting. The Cowboys are loaded with firepower on offense behind quarterback Mason Rudolph and the nation’s top receiving corps. With Rudolph and big-play receiver James Washington leading the way, coach Mike Gundy won’t need a shutdown defense to push for a spot among the top 10 teams in the nation this fall. But the Cowboys have some work to do on that side of the ball after suffering key losses at each level. The addition of graduate transfer Adrian Baker should alleviate some of the concerns in the secondary. A program that has posted three consecutive losing seasons isn’t normally projected to make a jump into the top 10-15 nationally. However, that’s exactly the case for Texas in 2017. The Longhorns made the offseason’s best hire with the addition of Tom Herman from Texas, along with new defensive coordinator Todd Orlando. While the on-field results haven’t been anything noteworthy, the Longhorns aren’t hurting for talent. Quarterback Shane Buechele, running back Chris Warren and a solid line lead the way on offense. And on defense, Orlando – thanks to 10 returning starters – should be able to quickly turn around a unit that surrendered 31.5 points per game last fall. In this debate, Oklahoma State is a much safer pick at No. 2. However, Texas hosts the Cowboys on Oct. 21, which could be the difference in a tight contest for second behind Oklahoma.