2025 College Football Big 12 Team Previews: Oklahoma State Cowboys

Team: Oklahoma State
Mascot: Cowboys
Student Population: 26,805
Established: 1890
Motto: “Scholarship, Instruction, Service”
Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma
Head Coach: Mike Gundy
Offensive Coordinator: Doug Meacham
Defensive Coordinator: Todd Grantham
2024 Record: 3-9

Rankings

SP+: 58
FPI: 67
Kelly Ford: 64

Power Rankings

CBS Sports: 15

Mike Gundy is a miracle worker, but this may be his toughest challenge yet. The Cowboys were awful last season and then lost essentially every positive playmaker in the program. A strong post-spring portal period helps, but part of the attraction is a depleted depth chart. OSU must hope either Hauss Hejny or Zane Flores is a difference maker at quarterback. (+5000)

SB Nation: 15

Does anyone else feel weird about what Oklahoma State is going to be in 2025? The partnership between Head Coach Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State feels like it’s nearing the end, and the Cowboys kinda just feel listless. There’s a LOT new here: 10 new assistant coaches, two new QBs and a whole roster rebuilt on transfers. Look for portal QB Hauss Hejny to either start or get significant playing time (largely because everyone else on the roster is coming off injury). Cornerback Jaylin Davies could be a fascinating player in the secondary as well.

The attrition here could be the one thing that finally does Mike Gundy in at Oklahoma State. Not a lot of experience on the field for both sides of the ball, meaning Gundy, OC Doug Meacham and DC Todd Grantham will need to do a lot of heavy lifting.

24/7 Sports: 11

Mike Gundy built his program on culture, but with 60 newcomers and counting at Oklahoma State, it is unclear how quickly cohesion will form in Stillwater. A reset was needed, however, after the Cowboys went winless against conference opponents for the first time in 30 years.

Transfer Class Rankings

24/7 Sports: National Rank 32 | Big 12 Rank 5 (41 players)
Rivals: National Rank 16 | Big 12 Rank 4 (33 players)

Miscellaneous

Bovada Win Totals: 5.5

Athlon Big 12 Predictions: 13

Oklahoma State surprisingly bottomed out in 2024 with a 3-9 record and an 0-9 mark in Big 12 play. The performance of both sides of the ball collapsed, with the Cowboys averaging only 22 points in Big 12 play and giving up 40.7 a contest. Following the worst season of his extended tenure, coach Mike Gundy was forced to make significant changes and took a salary cut of $1 million. Will those changes pay off in ‘25?

New offensive coordinator Doug Meacham essentially inherits a blank slate. The Cowboys will have five new starters along the line and lost significant production at running back and receiver. Gundy hit the transfer portal hard for help at all of those positions, as well as the quarterback spot with TCU transfer Hauss Hejny battling Zane Flores for the starting job.

Three starters return for new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. However, similar to the offensive side, transfers are expected to make significant contributions at all three levels. Up front, De’Marion Thomas (Vanderbilt) and Taje McCoy (Colorado) headline the newcomers, while former Akron standout Bryan McCoy anchors the second level. Cornerback Cam Smith and safety Dylan Smith return to lead the way on the back end.