STILLWATER – Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy is one of 21 coaches included on the American Heart Association’s 2021 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award watch list, it was announced Tuesday.
In 2021, Gundy has coached the Cowboys to a 6-1 record and the team is in the top 15 of both major polls. OSU sits in a tie for second place in the Big 12 standings and is still in control of its own destiny as far the Big 12 title is concerned, despite being picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 Football Preseason Poll.
Gundy, who won the award in 2011, is in his 17th year as head coach for the Cowboys and is the school’s all-time leader in wins with a career record of 143-68.
During Gundy’s time at OSU, the Cowboys have had six seasons with at least 10 wins, an outright Big 12 title (2011) and a share of the Big 12 South title (2010). He has coached the Cowboys to four New Year’s Six bowl games since 2010 and his teams have reached the top 10 of the AP poll 10 times since 2008.
Additionally, Gundy has established school-record streaks of 15 straight winning seasons and 15 straight bowl appearances entering this season, and the Cowboys are already bowl eligible in 2021. He has led the Cowboys to becoming one of only three Power Five teams with a winning season and bowl appearance in each of the past 15 years.
Coach Gundy and the Cowboys continue the 2021 season Saturday when they face Kansas at 6 p.m. in the 100th edition of “America’s Greatest Homecoming,” and then finish the regular season against West Virginia, TCU, Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
