Mike Gundy had hinted that he wouldn't name a starting quarterback before Oklahoma State's opener against Mississippi State.

Apparently, that won't matter.

Gundy on Thursday said the Cowboys would begin the season using Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh in a two-quarterback system.

"We're going to play both guys," Gundy said. "I don't think either one of them will be a backup in the first game."

Walsh and Chelf each enjoyed success quarterbacking the Cowboys in 2012. Walsh went 3-1 as Oklahoma State's quarterback, filling in after Wes Lunt suffered an injury early last season. When Walsh got hurt, and Lunt was injured again, Chelf came in and propelled the Cowboys to easy wins over West Virginia, Texas Tech and Purdue in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

Chelf finished 2012 as the starter. But Walsh, the better runner of the two, returned late in the season and was effective operating a short-yardage package, leaving Oklahoma State's QB situation unresolved going into the offseason.

Gundy said both have shown this preseason they can help the Cowboys win games. As a result, the plan is to play both.

"I don't like two-quarterback systems if we have one that's better than the other or one that's more experienced," Gundy said. "But now we have two quarterbacks that have relatively the same amount of experience. So we're obligated to give both of them the opportunity to play in the game.

"We feel like each can provide something to the team that will help us be successful."