Cowboys set to begin practice, still missing opening opponent

STILL WATER— Oklahoma State has options for filling its lone non-conference football game of the 2020 season as allowed by the Big 12 leaders following a Monday meeting.

Big 12 teams will be allowed to play one non-conference game in addition to the full ninegame conference schedule, which is set to begin in mid- to late-September.

Only one of OSU' s options seems logical, practical and safe amid the coronavirus pandemic.

OS U' sh omega me against Tulsa, scheduled for Sept. 12, has emerged as the likely solution to the Cowboys' non-conference schedule.

OS U was originally scheduled to play Oregon State on Sept. 3, but that game was canceled when the P ac -12 announced it would play a conference- only schedule. The universities are working to reschedule that game, though it might not be possible until 2028 or later because of existing commitments of both schools.

OSU also has Western Illinois on the schedule Sept. 19, and that game could be rescheduled as well, though the earliest opening on the Cowboys' future schedule would be 2024.

The game contract includes a clause for instances in which the game is not played for reasons beyond the schools' control. If the game is canceled and not re scheduled because of the pandemic, the contract states that OS U would owe Western Illinois for “all reasonable costs incurred, including travel .” Those costs would seem to be negligible at this point.

OS U reportedly had been in talks with BYU about a possible season opener in place of Oregon State, but adding a game other than one already under contract would pose another set of problems.

Tulsa is on the schedule 10 times in the next 12 seasons, meaning a game with the Golden Hurricane could not be rescheduled until 2032.

For now, only one thing is certain: the Cowboys will begin preseason practice on Wednesday.