OSU football: Great win in Seattle

We talked all week about how much was on the line for OSU in its Seattle game against Washington State. Much of that analysis focused on what would happen if the Cowboys lost. But here’s the benefit to playing such season openers: What if you win?

That’s exactly where OSU finds itself. Look at what the Cowboys gained from beating Wazoo 39-13 at Qwest Field. Confidence. Momentum. A victory to add to their already-established five sure wins.

This season suddenly looks different for State. Barring calamity, OSU will get off to a 5-0 start. I lumped Texas A&M in among OSU’s four tossup games this year; the most winnable of the four, but still a tossup. After Saturday, when Arkansas State beat A&M and OSU rolled, we have to adjust. I would make it six automatic wins, plus the victory over Washington State, and OSU is on track for seven wins, minimum.

The tossup games remain at Colorado and home against Oklahoma, which are the two toughest tossups on the original list. So it will remain difficult to get to 8-4 or 9-3. But still possible, especially if the Cowboys improve from was established in Seattle as a solid performance threshold.

Here’s more reason for optimism. Saturday, only two BCS-league schools won on the road. Southern Cal and OSU. Wake Forest did it, too, on Thursday, and as I post this, Kentucky looks like it will win at Louisville. But still, that’s good company for OSU.

2008 suddenly looks much more promising.