Oklahoma State Is Ranked Again, And OSU Fans Are Getting Nervous

Sports and superstition have always gone hand in hand, but some Oklahoma State Cowboys fans seem to have forgotten that the program is brand new, and old habits aren't shaking out as the chakras align.

Here's a look into the mind of your average OSU fan this week.

After dropping a second L in a row to Tulsa, the Pokes seem to be getting their act together.

I want to chalk that first game up to nerves and anxiety since the Cowboys bounced back and beat the tar out of then-#6-ranked Oregon the following week. It was a good high as a fan, and the good times continued into that huge shutout of Murray State in week three.

Oklahoma State's Road Back To The Top 25

Then the first real test came in the form of West Virginia. They've got a great roster this year and went into last Saturday as an undefeated team with a quality win over a ranked opponent.

In the first half, most Pokes fans were convinced West Virginia had our number. It was not the best half-hour of football we've seen this year from our team. But that tide turned in the second half with defensive adjustments that pretty much stopped the Mountaineers' momentum.

Huge win for the Cowboys that day. More than just the win/loss ratio, but a quality confidence-building win on the road.

For a moment, it looked like OSU was back. And when the rankings dropped on Sunday afternoon, Oklahoma State was ranked for the first time in a few years. #19.

You still following? That was the setup, here's the rest of that story...

Some OSU fans are really iffy, on the edge with this ranking, and if you've been a Loyal & True Cowboys Fan for the last twenty years, you know why.

This is where things generally start to fall apart for us. Or, at least, they have in the past.

OSU has even made rare appearances in the top-5 before, but something always happens at the most inopportune time to knock us back down.

That's the worry among a lot of OSU fans at the moment... History does tend to repeat itself, but I don't think it's warranted just yet.

Oklahoma State's New Era

Here's the thing... this OSU team isn't the same OSU team we've experienced highs and lows with over the last twenty-something years. That was a whole different era, and while I know we - humans - typically revert back to what we know in moments like this, it's fresh and new, and nobody knows what will happen.

That being said, everyone tentatively agrees that OSU has a good coach, a bunch of good talent, and the sky is the limit coming off a couple of quality wins.

We all saw the new era difference in that West Virginia game. They came out of halftime with a new game plan, made adjustments, and came home with the victory. That's not something the previous era did, like, ever.

It's time to stop looking at the past to predict the future. Go Pokes!