CRFF ROUNDTABLE PREDICTIONS: Oklahoma State vs Central Arkansas

Time for Roundtable predictions for Week 2's opponent, Central Arkansas. Like the Cowboys, we started slowly, but have found our "conversational" footing in the home opener.

Be sure to share your own predictions in the comments!

If you missed our predictions for Week 1 with Central Michigan, you can see that here.

Now, on with the insanity!

Robert
OSU 61, UCA 3

Home opener for the Reindeer against an FCS opponent who almost beat Texas Tech in their opener last season?

Once again, I expect the Cowboys to dominate and run away with this.

OSU is playing one of the weakest non-conference schedules in the P5 conferences, so they need to make the statement. Stumbling along conservatively, allowing garbage scores, etc, will not get it done. This team needs to come out of the gate mauling this type of opponent. Honestly, I don't want to see Rudolph in the 4th quarter in either of these first two games, but they need to keep the foot on the gas.

Josh
OSU 55, UCA 20

After struggling in Wk1 the Pokes come out strong and do what they're supposed to do.

Rudolph explodes for five touchdowns in his first game at the Boone as he leads the Cowboys, who will wear the orange chrome helmets, to a thrilling victory. All hail Rudolph.

Defense will look good again as they hold UCA to 20 in a game that is over by halftime. Pokes climb into the top 25 after this win and begins their ascent to the top.

Robert: They're gonna need more than that in the first two games if they expect to get in the top 25, unless some other folks stub their toes.

Josh: I think a few others trip up and OSU is almost in now. What are they, 28th?

Robert: That's true, wasn't thinking about that. They could sneak in with two crappy wins just because others fall, and the fact that voters don't pay attention.

Cory: I'm really ashamed of our non-conference schedule. We are no better than Baylor this year in that department.

Josh: Yes, Cory, YASSS. My dad is an OU guy and was talking about how OU always plays a big name. The team may not be any good that year but they play a solid team every single season. I'm really upset with lack of non-con pressure this year.

Cameron: It isn't exactly loaded in the near future either. Oregon State and Pittsburgh are P5's, sure, but nothing extraordinary and it's likely neither will be ranked when we play them. Boise in a few years but who knows how sustained their success will be post-Petersen.

Cory: At least we are playing P5 schools though. I'm ok with not playing a perineal power, but you've gotta schedule someone from one of those conferences every year just to make your SOS a little respectable. Otherwise you're taking the Baylor mentality of going undefeated in order to get in the playoff. If it ever goes to 8 teams, the non-con schedule will mean nothing.

Chris: That's true for every conference except the Big 12. That's where the round-robin comes into play. Baylor, who had the worst non-con in the conference last year, had a higher SOS than Florida State did last season AFTER the Noles won the ACC Championship game, and let's not forget FSU opened against OSU. So basically the Noles played an extra game and a tougher non-conference, but still had a weaker schedule than Baylor.

Cameron
OSU 56, UCA 14

I expect OSU to sleep walk a little in the first quarter, and I do expect Central Ark to get a touchdown. Maybe 14-7 after one at BPS. However, I then expect them to awaken and the beat down to commence as the starters get the 4th quarter off for a second game in a row.

Similar to what I said about the CMU game, I want to see the defense play well. Of the 14 I have Central Ark scoring, I think the starters only give up 1 TD with the other in garbage time. I don't want so much as a single stain on Rudolph's jersey when he gets pulled after the 3rd quarter. O line needs to dominate a team like Central Ark to continue that confidence building process I talked about with the first game.

(WARNING: Send your children outside before reading the next prediction, as words they are not yet familiar with may be uttered once you read this. Also, you don't want them to be struck by any flying objects. That being said, in the interest of family viewing, we have redacted the offensive language.)

Chris
OSU 62, UCA 6

The Cowboys come out much better than they did in week one. Things are going smoothly until Rudolph [BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH]. It's unknown [BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH].

What? You all have been watching the last few years, right?

Pokes get the easy W, but nobody cares anymore as Rudolph walks out from the tunnel [BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH].

Robert: NONONONONONONONO....you can stop talking now, Chris. This will be immediately stricken from the record.

Nick: Chris, shut up and go away!

Gerald: Chris is Satan

Colin: Plot twist: Chris has been Squinky all along.

Gerald: Riot ensues, couches burned, is that a WVU fan? Of course it is, they go where the couches go.

Colin
OSU 55, UCA 9

Cowboys score 4 times I the air, 3 on the ground, and Grogan tacks on a pair of FGs in garbage time.

I want to see a strong running game early and a lot of receivers touching the ball. Oh and at least 2 fumble recoveries from the defense.

Jeremy
OSU 63, UCA 6

Fighting Gundy's in a blowout.

Rudolph only see's the field for 2 and a half quarters before JW Patton comes in to clean things up.

JW accounts for 3 TD's, Rennie Childs & Chris Carson combine for 200 on the ground.  The depth of the defense really shows up as there's little drop off from the 1's all the way to the 3's.

The 2 Central Arkansas fans in attendance are noted for having excellent behavior and great bar-b-que.

Nick
OSU 55, UCA 10

The Cowboys flat out dominate this game from start to finish. The defense generates turnovers while the offense explodes to score early and often.

Rudolph has a big game. The running backs have big games. The defense shuts down Central Arkansas offense allowing only a field goal early and a late TD. We all see what we want to see out of this game, but we just don't know how to feel because it's Central Arkansas.

Gerald
OSU 54, UCA 14

This is the first time in a while an OSU offense looks this smooth in a game. Although the win is against Central Arkansas, the teams and fans hopes are as high as ever. J.W. Walsh plays the entire fourth and half of the third quarter, throwing for over 200 yards. All of the sudden, the fan base starts wondering if we would be OK to play Walsh over Rudolph.