That Time of Year and This Year the Cavalcade of Preseason Football Magazines is Really Welcomed
STILLWATER -- I've admitted it over the years that I am a college football preseason magazine-aholic. I can't get enough of them and by the time August 1 rolls around I usually have seven-to-eight in my possession. Phil Steele, Athlon, Lindy, Street and Smith, Texas Football, USA Today, and the one I write for Vype's Oklahoma Pigskin Preview are automatics and I usually luck across one or two more that may be more obscure. The magazine business seems to be shrinking and with the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty during the early portion as to whether there would be a football season or not, I expect fewer. However, the first two are out as I found Athlon and Street and Smith this past weekend.
As usual, I know more about the Cowboys than either of these magazines could tell me and I know a large portion of what I can read on the Big 12. Heck, I know the authors of the Oklahoma State material in both of these magazines. Former Oklahoma State beat writer for The Oklahoman and now OSU faculty member and advisor to The O'Colly as well as columnist for us at Pokes Report, John Helsley writes for Athlon and Kansas City Star college football writer and columnist Blair Kirkhoff writes the Big 12 material, including Oklahoma State for Street and Smith.
There is so much in the confines of the pages that I don't know and there is information that can be used for reference. It is a business expense and it comes off the taxes, I keep receipts.
John Helsley, who also writes for us at Pokes Report wrote this preview of the Cowboys in Athlon's magazine.
Robert Allen - Pokes Report publisher
John did a good job on the Athlon's material, but it is important to remember that Helsley gives an opinion, as do the other writers of the school previews in the Big 12, but it is the Athlon national staff that makes the conference picks, the top 25 projections, and the playoff and bowl predictions.
Athlon's projected Oklahoma State second in the Big 12, behind Oklahoma and ahead of Texas. The picked the Cowboys to finish 9-4, which doesn't make sense because if Oklahoma State is second in the Big 12 then they would play 14 games. The 12 in the regular season, the Big 12 Championship, and a bowl game. My guess is 9-3 in the regular season and they are picking Oklahoma to win the Big 12 Championship Game.
Cowboys picked second in the Big 12 by Athlon.
Robert Allen - Pokes Report publisher
They have a league high five Cowboys on the first-team All-Big 12 with running back Chuba Hubbard, wide receiver Tylan Wallace, and offensive tackle Teven Jenkins on offense; safety Kolby Harvel-Peel on defense; and punt returner Dillon Stoner on special teams.
Helsley's final summation says: "The Cowboys see this as a high-stakes season. They've got the talent and the kind of schedule that aligns with their lofty goals. They can't withstand the crippling injuries that limited the team a year ago. And along with staying healthy, (Spencer) Sanders must elevate his game."
Now, Helsley also has no part in one of Athlon's most fun segments to their coverage, the scouting segment for each team where another coach in the conference dissects a team and that coach is kept anonymous.
You can only wonder which coach from which school said all of this about the Cowboys.
Robert Allen - Pokes Report publisher
For the Cowboys, the thoughts were: "By far they have the most experience on offense... Chuba (Hubbard) is the real dude, a dude ... (Tylan) Wallace could be the best receiver in the league at the end of the year ... Defensively, it's the same story. No one really jumps out at you on tape."
There is much, much more.
Street and Smith has Oklahoma State picked 16th in the nation, Athlon has them 14th.
Robert Allen - Pokes Report publisher
The Street and Smith magazine has the Cowboys picked third behind Oklahoma and Texas with a projected bowl trip to the Camping World Bowl against Mack Brown and North Carolina. They have four all-conference players projected. The same five as Athlon's minus Dillon Stoner.
The Oklahoma State five-year record is second among all schools in the Big 12.
Robert Allen - Pokes Report publisher
One thing I like about Street and Smith is a little corner of the page for each school shows their five-year record, which is always revealing on how each school has done in the conference and really where they stand in the league. Oklahoma is at the top, they've won the Big 12 five-years running and the record over those years is 58-10. Oklahoma State is second and it really isn't close as the Pokes are 45-20 in that period. TCU is next at 40-25 with Baylor at 36-29 and Texas at 35-29. Hook 'em.
