Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel was one of just six coaches who vote in the Top 25 poll to pick Oklahoma State lower than 2nd or 3rd in the voting. Pinkel chose the Cowboys for 4th behind Stanford. Nick Saban of Alabama and David Shaw of Stanford were two of the other coaches who picked OSU behind the Cardinal.
Listening to Pinkel talk Sunday evening at the bowl announcement press conference, he made it seem like he had voted Oklahoma State #3 ahead of Stanford. Afterwards, in a small interview gathering at the Clinton Club inside Mizzou Arena, I suggested to Pinkel that he may be questioned for “sticking it” to the Big 12 by choosing Alabama ahead of OSU, but Pinkel said he doesn’t vote that way.
Gary Pinkel on his voting (1:00)
It’s hard to argue that Pinkel picking Bama for 2nd is a vengeful act, considering over 40 other coaches did the same, but there certainly could have been a message to the Big 12 that Pinkel was sending by giving OSU his #4 pick.
Troy Calhoun of Air Force, David Cutcliffe of Duke and Doug Marrone of Syracuse were the other coaches who selected OSU lower than third.