Oklahoma State and why

Jhoss003

Pretty much a regular
OKLAHOMA STATE +20 (SPRINKLE ML)
This one’s flying under the radar, but it’s got all the ingredients of a massive correction game for a team that’s quietly been sitting on the edge of a rebound.

THE SETUP
Oklahoma State’s season has been absolute chaos — QB carousel, coaching change, guys hitting the portal — but finally, some light at the end of the tunnel.
QB Hauss Hejni is expected back, and that’s not just “some guy.”
He was BY FAR the best QB in camp — to the point he ran everyone else out of the room.
Since he went down, this offense has been epically bad… zero rhythm, no consistency, no leadership.
Now he’s back, with a redshirt still available — and all signs point to him playing the final 3 games. That changes everything.

LOCKER ROOM BUY-IN
Here’s the biggest tell — two OL starters who already declared for the portal are still practicing and saying they’ll finish the year.
That’s massive. That’s not happening in a locker room that’s given up.
That’s happening because they see the QB coming back, the fans still showing up, and the coaches preaching “finish strong.”
It’s a culture buy-in signal, not a “lay down and quit” team.

STILLWATER ENERGY
Even in the chaos, the fanbase hasn’t bailed.
Attendance has stayed solid, energy in Boone Pickens Stadium has been better than the record shows, and you can bet your house that they’ll be fired up for this one with Hauss back under center.
This feels like the “reset the narrative” game — not just for 2025, but for the future.

THE MATCHUP: K-STATE’S DEFENSE IS LEAKING
Kansas State’s pass defense has been a total liability this season.
They’ve been torched through the air multiple times — soft coverage, poor communication, and their corners have struggled all year.
Hejni’s return means OSU can actually stretch the field again, open up the run game, and force K-State to defend 53 yards wide instead of living in the box.
If OSU’s OL can give even moderate time — and with those starters still playing, that’s likely — this game doesn’t look like a blowout at all.

SP+ & POWER NUMBERS
SP+ projects this game closer to K-State -19, and that’s before factoring in Hejni’s return or OSU’s home-field edge.
Stillwater’s worth at least +2.5 to +3 points.
So when you factor all that in —
➡️ True line closer to K-State -16.5 or -17
➡️ Market giving you +20
That’s 3–4 points of baked-in value.
And value matters when motivation swings this sharply.

MOTIVATION EDGE
Let’s think about the psychology here:
• Kansas State: Bowl-hopeful, but nothing bigger to play for.
They’re grinding through the year, banged up, and inconsistent.
They’re not a “kill mode” team right now.
• Oklahoma State: Playing with house money, emotional lift with QB1 back, locker room stabilized, and a fan base desperate for a spark.
Every sign points to this being a “play for pride + prove it” kind of game.

THE SPOT
This is where college football flips scripts.
You’ve got:
✅ Returning QB spark
✅ OL choosing to fight on
✅ Inflated market number
✅ Home crowd that still cares
✅ Opponent with no killer instinct
✅ Public completely out on OSU
This is where you grab the big ugly home dog and let chaos work in your favor.
WHY OKLAHOMA STATE +20 IS THE PLAY
✔️ Hejni’s return = full offensive reset
✔️ OL still locked in despite portal noise
✔️ K-State pass D has been exposed all year
✔️ SP+ & true line show +3 to +4 points of value
✔️ Massive motivation + crowd energy angle
✔️ Quietly a “program pride” game in Stillwater
 
If Hauss Hejni is ruled OUT that obviously changes things, but i cannot find anything definitive on his status. Lets hope he gives it a go!
 
Outstanding writeup and logic as always. I see the line moving away from 20 so good chance Hejni is playing and someone knows it. Seeing a lot of 19.5's out there and Pinnacle sitting on 19 so that's another tick in your favour.

I'm in.
 
Good stuff as always. I already played okie lite tt ov 14.5, they have managed 17 on much better defenses than this k-st squad who hasn’t held anyone to lower than 17.
 
Unfortunately, looking like Hauss is out. I'm still taking a stab, but not as much as originally planned. Sorry, fellas, thought we found another gem. May be back with some plays later. GL all!
 
Unfortunately, looking like Hauss is out. I'm still taking a stab, but not as much as originally planned. Sorry, fellas, thought we found another gem. May be back with some plays later. GL all!
All good.

I love the cap and thought!
 
Why Go Back to the Pokes +13 this week

We didn’t just see a fluky cover vs Kansas State — we saw a full-on effort shift. Oklahoma State looked like the better, hungrier team for four quarters, and that kind of spark isn’t usually a one-and-done. They tasted winning again, they smelled blood, and teams in that mindset rarely show up flat the very next week.

Yeah, UCF at home — they need wins too — but this is still two flawed teams, and motivation becomes the difference-maker. The Pokes are clearly still in “win hunting” mode, and even without Hauss Hejni, the locker room buy-in and energy is real. If they just keep bringing that same fight, they’re absolutely live again.

Taking a small stab on the Pokes to continue their efforts this week.
 
Let's go 3 for 3 on Okie State to round out the season. We’ve been ahead of the curve on the Pokes the last two weeks, and this is a great spot to hit them again. Iowa State looked great at home last week, but that’s exactly why this number is inflated. Campbell teams rarely stack big offensive performances, and they’re far less reliable on the road.

Oklahoma State, meanwhile, has found real late-season spark — energy, buy-in, and a home crowd that’s still showing up. This is the perfect “final push” game: no pressure, last home game, and a team that’s rediscovered its fight. They can absolutely hang within the number and maybe even give us a live shot at the outright.

Play: Oklahoma State +14 (sprinkle ML)
 
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