Rice cancels 2021 season opener vs. Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State will have a new opponent for their 2021 season opener after Rice announced Friday that the Owls will visit Arkansas instead on Sept. 4, 2021.

The Cowboys’ game against the Owls will not be rescheduled, according to Rice.

Arkansas was previously scheduled to play its 2021 season opener against Football Championship Subdivision Missouri State, but that game has been postponed until Sept. 17, 2022, according to the Razorbacks. The Bears were slated to play that date at OSU.

The changes leave the Cowboys without an official opponent for both their 2021 and 2022 seasons.

However, a report from WholeHogSports.com states a swap could be taking place for OSU to host Missouri State on Sept. 4, 2021, and add another FCS team in Arkansas Pine-Bluff to take the now open 2022 slot.

“Additionally, UAPB would travel to Stillwater, Okla., to play the Cowboys on Sept. 17, 2022, the original date of the Oklahoma State-Missouri State game.”

While none of this is official, here is what OSU’s schedules would now look like for 2021 and 2022.

OSU’s 2021 schedule

*Sept. 4: Missouri State (FCS)

Sept. 11: Tulsa

Sept. 18: at Boise State

Dates TBA: at Iowa State, at Texas, at Texas Tech, at West Virginia

Dates TBA: Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, TCU

OSU’s 2022 schedule

Sept. 3: Central Michigan

Sept. 10: Arizona State

*Sept. 17: University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (FCS)

Dates TBA: Iowa State, Texas, Texas Tech, West Virginia

Dates TBA: at Baylor, at Kansas, at Kansas State, at Oklahoma, at TCU

*Not official