Exploring Cowgirls Big 12 Softball Tournament Seeding Scenarios
The Oklahoma State softball team is three games away from knowing its seed for the Big 12 softball tournament next weekend in Oklahoma City.
The Cowgirls (34-12, 14-7 in Big 12 play) are on a six-game winning streak going into this weekend’s series with the Kansas Jayhawks. OSU has won five straight Big 12 series and has swept two of them, including last weekend against Baylor.
Only one team — the Texas Tech Red Raiders — have clinched a seed in the tournament. The Red Raiders clinched the Big 12 regular season title last weekend and have the No. 1 seed. But plenty of seeding is still on the line and a pool of four teams — including OSU — hope to avoid either the No. 4 or No. 5 seed, which would lead to a semifinal showdown with the Red Raiders, who have lost two Big 12 games and four games this season.
As the Cowgirls face the Jayhawks, here are some things to keep in mind as they try to nail down their seeding for the Big 12 Tournament.
The Seeding Floor and Pool
Before diving into where the Cowgirls could be seeded, it’s informative to determine how far down they could be seeded. OSU can’t catch Texas Tech. No one can. But assuming Oklahoma State loses all three games in its final series, the worst it can finish in league play is 14-10.
That establishes a floor for seeding. The Cowgirls can’t be seeded any lower than No. 5. Even if OSU loses all three games and falls to 14-10, There is no team in the standings below it that can catch it.
Expanding that, Arizona (15-6), OSU, Kansas (13-8) and UCF (12-8-1) are the teams that will finish in the No. 2-5 seeds. None can fall into a tie with Baylor (9-12) at No. 6.
So, in some combination, those four teams will be seeded in those four spots, based on what happens this weekend.
OSU vs. Kansas
The Cowgirls and the Jayhawks play each other in the final weekend of the season. So, both can directly influence their seeding this weekend. The Cowgirls are in a slightly better position, but they still need to win the series. Why?
If OSU sweeps Kansas, then the Cowgirls won’t be any worse than No. 3. If OSU wins two of the three games, then it remains no worse than No. 3. If OSU wins one of the three games, then the two teams would be tied, and KU would get the tiebreaker by winning the series.
So, there is plenty at stake this weekend for the Cowgirls.
OSU vs. the Field
Tiebreakers don’t just matter against Kansas. They matter against the other two teams in the pool, as there is a chance OSU could end up in a three-way tie, or crazier. So how have the Cowgirls done against the rest of the teams in the pool?
Against Arizona: 2-1
Against UCF: 1-2
So, a tie favors OSU against Arizona but not against UCF. Arizona faces Utah and UCF faces Iowa State.
The Ideal Scenario
Oklahoma State would like to avoid a No. 4 or No. 5 seed, as it that would mean a semifinal game with No. 1 seed Texas Tech. To do that, the Cowgirls need to win two games against Kansas and need Arizona to lose two games to Utah. That would put the two teams in a tie and push OSU in the No. 2 seed. It would put the two teams on a path to the semifinals in the Big 12 Tournament.
2026 Big 12 Softball Tournament Schedule
Thursday, May 7
Game 1: No. 4 Seed vs. No. 5 Seed - 11 a.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 2: No. 1 Texas Tech vs. No. 8 Seed - 1:30 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 3: No. 2 Seed vs. No. 7 Seed - 5 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 4: No. 3 Seed vs. No. 6 Seed - 7:30 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Friday, May 8
Game 5: Winner of Game 1 and Game 2 - 3 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 and Game 4 - 7 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Saturday, May 9
Championship Game - 11 a.m. CT (ESPN)
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Matthew Postins is the publisher of Oklahoma State on SI. He is an award-winning sports journalist who was formerly the editor of the College Football America Yearbook and covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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