OSU Cowboys Kick Off Season Opener

It's finally football time in Oklahoma. The OSU Cowboys open the season against Missouri State in Stillwater Thursday night.

A new season and new stuff is in store for fans in Stillwater. The huge video board on the east end is the first thing that grabs your attention, then this is the first game for beer sales in the stadium as well as a no re-entry policy.

And on the field, there's a new starting quarterback, Taylor Cornelius. Couple that with Justice Hill's talent rushing the ball and head coach Mike Gundy thinks Missouri State and others will probably try to defend the Cowboys a little differently this year, not protecting as much against the deep ball.

The other intriguing thing about this opener? OSU's new defensive alignment; the 4-2-5 under new coordinator Jim Knowles, it promises to be more aggressive.
   
The man who the stadium is named after, Boone Pickens, usually makes it here for the first home game of the season and he was planning to be there Thursday night. But Pickens, who is 90 years old, put out on social media that he made it to his plane but felt exhausted and unsteady and is staying at home.
   
The game isn't expected to be close, and those who handicap the games are not posting a line. Most feel it's a good way for a new quarterback to get his feet wet as a starter. It all starts to unfold at 7.