Mike Gundy explains decision to vote Oklahoma State ahead of Oklahoma

Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy voted in the coaches poll this year for the first time since 2005. After voting his Cowboys ahead of Oklahoma in the season’s final poll, he might want to take another year off.

The final USA Today Coaches Poll was released on Sunday. Each coach’s ballot is made public, and the rankings factor into the final BCS computer rankings. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State play in the same conference and each finished the year with with a 10-2 record. On Saturday, the Sooners beat Oklahoma State in a classic Bedlam matchup. Despite that, Gundy ranked his Cowboys 10th and Oklahoma 12th. How does that make sense?

“I just try to take into account the season in general and not one or two games and come up with the best formula that I think works,” Gundy explained, via The Oklahoman.

Gundy also added that he takes point differential against BCS opponents into account. He is apparently one of the only coaches who saw it that way in regard to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, because the the Sooners finished 10th in the USA Today Coaches Poll and the Cowboys finished 13th.

Oklahoma State did beat Baylor, who finished 5th in the coaches poll and 6th in the BCS standings. The Cowboys won that game 49-17 whereas Oklahoma lost to Baylor 41-12. I’m sure Gundy gave that game a lot of weight, but I’m also sure he was a bit biased. When two teams have the same record in-conference and one beats the either, the choice should be fairly simple.