The next 48 hours or so will be critical for both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State football fortunes. The Sooners and Cowboys are going to know a lot more about their team for next season during this period.

     By midnight tomorrow night the Pokes will know if they will lose an underclassmen to the NFL ranks and the Sooners will know if they lost anyone else.

     What will Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew do? He is a tremendous weapon and will probably be a second or third round draft pick. He has been going back and forth on what to do.

     Tight ends aren’t really in great demand in the early rounds of the NFL draft. He has been trying to decide if he can improve him stock by leaving Stillwater a year early.

     The Sooners have already lost Malcolm Kelly and are still holding their breath about linebacker Curtis Lofton, offensive guard Duke Robinson and cornerback Reggie Smith.

     One OU insider told me yesterday that he thought Lofton would stay for his senior year. At least that’s the word he has gotten talking to some other players. Yet, there are a couple of other players who said they expect him to leave. We’ll see.

     You hear conflicting rumors about both Smith and Robinson. However, the consensus is that both players will come back for their senior year. If Smith came out, he might be hampered at the NFL combine next month because of his broken toe.

     Tuesday is also going to be a big day for the Pokes and Sooners in the recruiting department. That’s when two of the nation’s most sought-after prospects, wide receiver Jameel Owens and defensive tackle Stacey McKee will announce their decision. This Muskogee duo has been getting a lot of national attention and want to end the recruiting process.

     Most think McGee will head to Oklahoma. It will be a surprise if he doesn’t. OSU has closed fast on Oklahoma in the recruiting of Owens. Some think it’s a deadheat right now. Don’t count out Tennessee. That’s where Owens has been this weekend.

     The Vols have had great recruiting success in this state of the last decade or so. Remember when another heralded wide receiver named Robert Meachum was supposed to head to OU. Well, he signed with Tennessee. So we will see what happens during the next two days. It definitely will be interesting.