Oklahoma State Football 2012: 1 Good Reason Why Cowboys Can Beat Every Opponent

Despite losing a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, the Oklahoma State Cowboys have rebounded in recruiting and appear poised to make noise in the Big 12 conference in the upcoming season.

In 2011, the Cowboys proved they were a program that had the capabilities of putting on a national championship run. In 2012, they'll be out to prove they have the staying power to annually compete for such lofty goals.

Here's are reasons why they could beat each and every team on their 2012 schedule.

Sept. 1: Savannah State

Superior athletes

The truth is that Savannah State won't be able to match up with the Cowboys athletically. Oklahoma State returns nine starters on defense and a majority on offense from a team that was a game away from the national championship. An upset here just isn't happening, especially in Stillwater.

Sept. 8: At Arizona

Stability

Arizona was not a good team last year, and the Cowboys defeated it in Stillwater 37-14. Now with a new coach in Rich Rodriguez, the Wildcats are hoping to turn that fortune around in 2012.

The biggest thing going for the Cowboys in this game is stability. This is the third year the program has been using the passing attack installed by Dana Holgorsen in 2010. The Wildcats will still be trying to learn Rodriguez's system and probably won't have the best personnel for it.

Sept. 15: Louisiana-Lafayette

Home game

It will help immensely that this game is at home. The Ragin' Cajuns went 9-4 last season, and one of those losses was a 27-pointer to the Cowboys in Stillwater. Oklahoma State didn't play all that well in the game, but the Cajuns could not stop the Cowboys at home.

Sept. 29: Texas

Home

This is another game where home-field advantage will benefit the Cowboys. They've had to win in Austin for two straight seasons and have done it in impressive fashion. The youth of the team will need to play at home against a Texas team that will be improved.

Oct. 13: At Kansas

Superior athletes

The hiring of Charlie Weis may help Kansas reclaim some form of football pride, but it won't happen quickly enough to cancel out Oklahoma State's superior athleticism in this game. The Cowboys defeated the Jayhawks by 42 points last season, and Kansas doesn't seem to be much improved at this point.

Oct. 20: Iowa State

Revenge

Oklahoma State's lone loss of the 2011 season was a 37-31 overtime heartbreaker in Ames, Iowa to Iowa State just 24 hours after a plane crash took the lives of two members of the Oklahoma State family. If you think the Cowboys won't be out for revenge, you are crazy. This is the team that ruined what could have been the first national championship season in school history. The Pokes will be fired up.

Oct. 27: TCU

Stability

TCU will have a tough go in its first season in a "big boy" conference. The Big 12 is not an easy conference to play in, and the Cowboys know what it takes to win it. TCU doesn't. The Cowboys will better because they are used to playing at that level.

Nov. 3: At Kansas State

Tempo

This game will be one of the toughest in the season. After winning a nail-biter over the Wildcats in Stillwater last season, the Cowboys must travel to Manhattan to take on Bill Snyder's team that returns nearly everyone from last year. The Cowboys' biggest advantage will be their up-tempo attack. If they can get the Wildcats to play at their pace, they'll have a great chance to win.

Nov. 10: West Virginia

Familiarity with the opponent's offensive system

West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen was the Cowboys' offensive coordinator in 2010. He installed the Cowboys' current offensive attack. As a result, the Cowboy coaching staff is familiar with Holgorsen and what he likes to do. That will be a big advantage in these schools' first meeting in more than 20 years.

Nov. 17: Texas Tech

Perfect storm

Last season, Oklahoma State beat this team 66-6. The Pokes are not that much worse than last year, especially on defense, and they now get to play the Red Raiders at home. Add the fact that the Cowboys are familiar with Tech's wide-open offense and you get a perfect storm of factors favoring the Cowboys.

Nov. 24: At Oklahoma

Running game

In last year's Bedlam game, the Cowboys trounced the visiting Sooners 44-10. This year they'll be the visitors in Norman, one of the toughest places to play in the country. Their biggest advantage will be their running game.

Joseph Randle, Jeremy Smith and Herschel Sims are all back this season and will make up the most-feared rushing attack in the Big 12. In last year's game, Randle and Smith combined for 278 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. That type of ground game will be big on the road.

Dec. 1: At Baylor

Mental edge

Baylor was a big up-and-comer last season, winning 10 games and a Heisman Trophy. However, that success wasn't there against the Cowboys, who were up 35-0 at halftime. The Cowboys know how to win against this team, pure and simple. In fact, they've lost to Baylor just once since the inception of the Big 12.

Now with the loss of Robert Griffin III and Kendall Wright, Baylor has lost its playmakers, which will make this even more advantageous for the Cowboys on the road.