Has Oklahoma State Lost Their Luster with One Down, Down Season

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FRISCO, Texas - One of the first things that I did on Tuesday, the first day of the Big 12 Football Media Days was ask around. I asked head coaches, I asked players, is Oklahoma State seen differently now. The 18 straight winning seasons and bowl games deflated into a 3-9 season and 0-9 in the Big 12. Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman sat with us on Triple Play Sports Radio and when I asked, he not only jumped into his answer, but he did it was gusto. 

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Mike Gundy and Chris Klieman talking before a game.

“Mike is going to get that thing fixed like he always does,” Klieman said of Gundy. “He is one of the best college coaches ever. “I don’t know when we play them, it’s not the first game in conference in Stillwater. We haven’t won there. It doesn’t matter what you are going into, or how good you’re supposed to be. We played them two years ago after the South Alabama game (loss) and they just ripped us.”

Oklahoma State plays the Wildcats at Boone Pickens Stadium on Nov. 15, late in the year. Oklahoma State’s homecoming is Cincinnati on Oct. 18. Bearcat head coach Scott Satterfield isn’t about to throw dirt on a Cowboys grave.

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Scott Satterfield on the sidelines.

“Absolutely not,” shot out Satterfield. “Coach Gundy is an outstanding coach and I think he has proven that for many, many years. They have a lot of talent there and that is a tough place to go play. To me that was a fluke last year and I believe anybody in the league can win this. They could go without winning a conference game last season and win it this year.”

That may be going too far. I’m seeing a rebound with most likely six, and maybe seven wins. That would be impressive. If one of those possibilities is there at the end of the season then Oklahoma State will be trying to get it done against one of the Big 12 favorites, Iowa State. The Cyclones talented quarterback Rocco Becht, who won his first conference start against OSU in Ames in a 2023 shoot out, is not taking Oklahoma State for granted.

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Rocco Becht in the bowl win over Miami, Fla.

“Obviously, they have a coach like Gundy and to be able to see and know their history, you never let a team like that go for granted,” Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht said. “You never go into a game with a team like that and not relaize you’re in for a battle. We could be playing for a lot when that game comes up (Nov. 29 in Stillwater). It is an awesome place to play, a great atmosphere, and it will be a tremendous place for us to finish our season.”

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake and Mike Gundy have a mutual admiration thing going. The double overtime game in Provo was crazy as BYU won with a final minute drive 38-35. That after a 40-34 double overtime win by Oklahoma State in Stillwater the year before. Running back L.J. Martin prefers last year and realizes the Cowboys aren’t going to be down for long.

“If one thing goes wrong on that fourth down (on that final drive), one thing goes wrong and we lose that game,” remebered BYU running back Martin of last season. “I don’t feel like their reputation is tarnished. We know they are a good team and they are going to be competing. They will be a good team.”

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Jordan Tyson says he will stay in his lane.

Meanwhile, the overwhelming answer from many players was, not to worry about the Cowboys and whether they rebound, but just to make sure their team doesn’t sink. 

“I don’t know what they have going on their side of the fence, but we are going to worry about our side,” defending Big 12 champion Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson added. “We are just worried about continuing what we have going.”

All while Oklahoma State workd to get back to doing what they were doing.