BCS Rankings Week 14: Iowa State Loss Will Haunt Oklahoma State's BCS Hopes

It's hard not to feel bad for the Oklahoma State Cowboys as they prepare for their end of the year showdown with the Oklahoma Sooners.

To be fair, there is nothing to be ashamed about with a potential 11-1 season, the opportunity to win the Big 12 and the potential of a very good bowl game.

When one looks back on the Cowboys season I dare say there will be a hint of disappointment though, especially when thinking about what could have been.

How much more would this upcoming game against Oklahoma mean if the Cowboys never suffered the upset of the year against the Iowa State Cyclones?

I'm not trying to rub salt in the wound, but somebody has to come out and acknowledge the fact that this season could have been so much more.

If the Cowboys never fell to Iowa State there is a good chance we'd be talking about this Oklahoma game as the final hurdle Oklahoma State would have to jump on their way to the BCS national championship game.

Somehow, the Cowboys let that dream slip away though, and they did so in epic fashion.

It took the Cyclones two overtimes to do it, but somehow they pulled off the improbable 31-37 upset over the then No. 2 team in the nation.

They forced stellar quarterback Brandon Weeden into three interceptions and ran the ball down the Cowboys throats for 192 yards.

When all was said and done, the Cowboys played their parts in the biggest upset of this season, and it will haunt their BCS hopes for the duration of this year.

Sure, they have an excellent chance of making an incredible bowl and capping of the year with a high-profile win.

In the end, they will be watching the BCS championship like the rest of us though.

Unlike the rest of us, they would know deep down inside that they had a great shot to be there.