THE FOOTBALL BRANCH extended here more than two months ago better be connected to a mighty oak tree.

In case you missed it, an olive branch wasn't offered. It was me climbing out on a limb and predicting Oklahoma State could be 11-0 when the Cowboys roll into Norman next November.

An oak standing at least 100 feet was needed to hold all the critics and naysayers who responded negatively to that column.

Oh, ye of little faith.

That's OK. Only true believers are allowed on this limb. Those who are open-minded enough to acknowledge that an 11-0 start isn't a mission-impossible situation for the Pokes.

I'm happy to report that the need for a stronger branch may soon be required. A couple of heavy hitters have joined me.

"You went out on a limb with the 11-0 call," Boone Pickens wrote. "I am out there with you, so you are not alone. But I don't write a column."

Yeah, I know, the guy whose name is on OSU's stadium will always believe his beloved Cowboys will win them all. But this particular Cowboy can make "Big Tex" at the Texas State Fair look like a midget, so he's always welcome to shimmy up my tree.

Matt Hayes does write a column. And the college football expert for The Sporting News has joined the Texas billionaire and this go-for-broke Tulsan out on the branch that has no room for the faint-hearted.

Asked to pick five teams that will show the most improvement in the win column from 2008 to 2009, Hayes has OSU No. 4 on his list. He predicts the Cowboys will improve from 9-4 to 12-1, losing only to Oklahoma.

"The difference this fall will be the impact of new defensive coordinator Bill Young," the perceptive Hayes wrote. "He knows the league (remember Kansas, 2007?) and the Cowboys have speed and athleticism on that side of the ball."

Still not convinced? OK, fine, let's take a brief look at OSU's first 11 games:

Sept. 5, Georgia: These are not the Bulldogs who whipsawed OSU in Athens in 2007. The Pokes will be jacked up going in, and a win could ignite a season-long emotional roll.

Sept. 12, Houston: Can't let those sky-high emotions crash in this one. Former OU assistant Kevin Sumlin will know what to expect when he visits Stillwater with a salty bunch of Cougars.

Sept. 19, Rice: Second C-USA team in as many weeks. It'd be more fun if it were Tulsa instead of the Owls trying to break up this tree-hugging business.

Sept. 26, Grambling State: Luckily for OSU, this team doesn't play anywhere near as well as its renowned marching band.

Oct. 10, at Texas A&M: An open date before the Big 12 opener is perfect as the Cowboys finally hit the road for the first time.

Oct. 17, Missouri: Young Tigers are not strong enough to avenge last season's stunning, damaging loss to the Pokes.

Oct. 24, Baylor: No longer just a one-man team with quarterback Robert Griffin, the Bears still need a few more talented bodies to compete in the rugged South Division.

Oct. 31, Texas: Halloween is perfect for OSU to finally put an end to the spooky, mysterious hex the Longhorns have had on the Cowboys.

Nov. 7, at Iowa State: Auburn and ISU swapped coaches, with Gene Chizik leaving Ames and Paul Rhoads departing Auburn. The SEC got the best of the Big 12 yet again.

Nov. 14, Texas Tech: Two big things happened the last time Tech visited OSU in 2007. The Cowboys won a thriller, and you've been in a two-year coma if you don't know what else transpired.

Nov. 19, Colorado: Zac Robinson zapped his home state school last November in Boulder, and OSU's senior quarterback will bash the Buffs again.

If you paid attention, you realized the Cowboys will be home on the range a lot in 2009, playing an unheard of eight games inside their renovated, sparkling, big-time stadium.

If you combine OSU top-heavy home schedule with an explosive offense, Young's defensive expertise and toss in the luck and lack of key injuries every team needs, you have a combination that could add up to 11-0.

College football, of course, plays 12 games these days. Bedlam at OU on Nov. 28th is OSU's final regular-season contest. That column more than two months ago envisioned both Bedlam teams being 11-0 on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Who wins that one? That's a prediction for another day. But I do know that my new best pen pal, Mr. Pickens, fired the first Bedlam shot with a little gamesmanship by telling the Associated Press that OU should be the preseason favorite to win the BCS national title.

Nothing like putting some added pressure on OSU's bitter rival by killing it with kindness and backhanded compliments.

So, with the OSU-Georgia opener still weeks away, there is still plenty of time to join the three of us out on that limb. There is, however, one more requirement: Do not bring a chainsaw.