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The Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Central Michigan Chippewas are opening their 2022 seasons against one another at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday at Boone Pickens Stadium. After a 12-2 record last season and a win in the Fiesta Bowl, Oklahoma State is coming in with an eye to spark another quality season. Likewise, CMU ended up 9-4 last year and capped things off with a win over the Washington State Cougars in the Sun Bowl, so they are on the hunt for another strong season.
A pair of last-season defensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: The Cowboys were second best in the nation in sacks, finishing the 2021 season with 55. The Chippewas were not quite as good, but they were no chumps, either: they ranked ninth in the nation in sacks, closing the season with 41 overall. With that kind of ball pressure, don't be surprised if there are a lot of short passes in this one.
Oklahoma State is the favorite in this one, with an expected 21-point margin of victory. A victory is hardly a sure thing, especially this early in the season, so expect a good game.
