The early weeks of the college football season are traditionally stuffed with non-competitive matchups between the sport’s haves and have-nots.
Before the grind of conference play begins, programs from the Power Four leagues routinely schedule games against Group of Five and FCS opponents. Those contests usually have a predictable outcome, with the larger school with significantly more resources comfortably beating — and in some instances outright demolishing — its overmatched foe.
This brings us to Oklahoma State .
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The Cowboys enter the 2024 season with justifiably high expectations. Coach Mike Gundy ’s team brings back several key contributors from a 10-win 2023 team, most notably running back Ollie Gordon II , the leading rusher in all of the FBS last season and one of the top contenders for the Heisman Trophy in 2024. With those factors working in its favor, Oklahoma State is ranked No. 18 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, putting it third among teams in the reconfigured Big 12.
In their quest to live up to that hype, the Cowboys open their 2024 campaign on Saturday against South Dakota State at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater.
Though it may look at first glance like a typical matchup between a power conference program and an FCS opponent, it’s anything but.
Here’s what you need to know about Oklahoma State’s game against South Dakota State and why it’s being played:
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Why is Oklahoma State playing South Dakota State?
Those lopsided non-conference games that dominate the first few weeks of the college football season are the result of what’s now a well-understood arrangement by those who follow the sport.
A big school looking to pad its win total and get a needed tune-up before diving into the more challenging part of its schedule pays a smaller program six or sometimes even seven figures to go on the road for a game it’s almost certain to lose. The deal makes sense for both sides. The larger program gets what’s often a guaranteed victory while the lower-level team gets a huge pay day that it can use to help fund its athletic department.
Oklahoma State’s game against South Dakota State isn’t exactly that. Though the Cowboys are paying the Jackrabbits a reported $450,000 for making the trip to Stillwater, it’s far from an assured win.
Over the past several years, South Dakota State has been the preeminent FCS program. Since the start of the 2022 season, the Jackrabbits are 29-1 and have won two national championships. Their lone loss during that stretch was a 7-3 loss on the road to an Iowa team that went on to win eight games that season.
Those accomplishments raise a natural question as to why the Cowboys agreed to a seemingly no-win situation.
“It’s getting so hard for us to get an FBS game that whenever we get one, we rejoice,” then-South Dakota State coach John Stiegelmeier said in July 2022 after the game was announced . “We call a lot of people. When you have success it’s harder. It doesn’t help when you beat Colorado State.”
While his team’s opponent may lack in widespread name recognition, at least among casual fans, Gundy sees the Jackrabbits as a good early season challenge for Oklahoma State.
“This is a really good game for us,” Gundy said on August 22 . “We’re playing a high-level non-conference schedule. This team can perform with Power Four schools. They’ve proven they can do that. We hope scheduling will be rewarded in the end.”
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South Dakota State vs FBS teams
Over the past 15 years, South Dakota State has played 10 games against FBS opponents. In those contests, the Jackrabbits have gone 2-8.
They’ve been much better lately, though, with a 2-3 record in their past five FBS matchups. Two of those three losses came by one score.
Here’s a look at South Dakota State’s recent history against FBS opponents:
- 2022 : Iowa 7, South Dakota State 3
- 2021 : South Dakota State 42, Colorado State 23
- 2019 : Minnesota 28, South Dakota State 21
- 2016 : TCU 59, South Dakota State 41
- 2015 : South Dakota State 41, Kansas 38
- 2014 : Missouri 38, South Dakota State 18
- 2013 : Nebraska 59, South Dakota State 20
- 2012 : Kansas 31, South Dakota State 17
- 2011 : Illinois 56, South Dakota State 3
- 2010 : Nebraska 17, South Dakota State 3
Mike Gundy record vs FCS teams
Oklahoma State is 15-0 against FCS teams under Gundy, who took over as the head coach at his alma mater ahead of the 2005 season.
Last season, the Cowboys beat Central Arkansas 27-13 in their only game against an FCS opponent.
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What channel is Oklahoma State vs South Dakota State on?
Oklahoma State’s game Saturday against South Dakota State is not on traditional linear television.
Rather, the game is being shown exclusively on ESPN+ , ESPN’s streaming platform. Shawn Kenney (play-by-play) and Taylor McHargue (analyst) will call the game while Tori Petry will serve as the sideline reporter.
The game is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. CT.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Why is Oklahoma State playing South Dakota State? Cowboys opening 2024 season vs reigning FCS champions
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