Where Oklahoma State Could Go Bowling Based on Week 11 Projections

The Oklahoma State Cowboys will head to a bowl game in 2026 and here’s where several analysts believe they’ll land based on current results.

OSU head coach Eric Morris. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Oklahoma State Cowboys will go to a bowl game for the first time since 2023 — assuming they don’t sneak into the College Football Playoff.

The Cowboys (6-3, 4-2 in Big 12) clinched a bowl game with their 66-28 win over Kansas State. There are seven bowl-eligible teams in the conference entering Week 11 and at least one will head to the CFP when the season ends.

That leaves the Cowboys in a pool of teams that could be selected for seven affiliated bowl games. The selection order for those games is the Alamo Bowl, the Pop-Tarts Bowl, the Texas Bowl, the Liberty Bowl, the Cactus Bowl, the ESPN Events pool of games and the Independence Bowl.

Several sites projected where the Cowboys could end up this week.

Pop-Tarts Bowl

Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Caleb Hawkins. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One ESPN analyst connected the Cowboys to the Orlando, Fla., based bowl, which is second in the Big 12 pecking order. There they would face Wake Forest. That is usually based on how teams finish in the conference, but selections are also at the bowl game’s discretion. Given how exciting the Cowboys are on offense, the Pop-Tarts Bowl — which the Big 12 has won every year since it started — would be highly interested in selecting them.

OSU would probably need to win out to earn selection to this bowl. This is the game BYU ended up last year after narrowly missing the CFP.

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Liberty Bowl

Oklahoma State Cowboys wide receiver Wyatt Young. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Another ESPN analyst had the Cowboys heading to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl and playing Auburn. The Liberty Bowl is fourth in the pecking order. If Oklahoma State ends up losing two or their last three games, that game may be the landing spot as the bowl games ahead of the Liberty will be looking for better teams.

Cincinnati ended up at this game last year with a 7-5 overall record.

College Football News also projected that the Cowboys would land in this game, but projected they would face the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Texas Bowl

Oklahoma State Cowboys cornerback LaDainian Fields. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It would be somewhat fitting if the Cowboys landed here because they landed in the Texas Bowl in 2023, which was their last bowl game appearance under then-head coach Mike Gundy. The Cowboys beat Texas A&M in that game. CBS Sports has the Cowboys facing Missouri in Houston. That game is third in the Big 12 pecking order and would likely draw a significant OSU crowd.

Houston played in this game last year with a 9-3 overall record and beat LSU to improve to 10-3. On3 (subscription required) also projected OSU and Missouri in this game.