Can Oklahoma State Exceed Expectations Next Season?

Oklahoma State might need some breaks to go its way to earn bowl eligibility.

Going into the 2025 season, OSU is looking to have one of the biggest turnarounds in the entire country. After losing nine straight games to finish last season, OSU was desperate to make things different for next season.

With new coordinators and coaches lining the sidelines alongside a plethora of newcomers on the roster, OSU will naturally look much different. However, only time will tell if that also means the Cowboys will look much better.

As the Cowboys look to bounce back in Mike Gundy’s 21st season, it appears they could be facing an uphill battle. Of course, it’s not all that surprising that the Cowboys might struggle to get to a bowl game next season after going 3-9, but OSU’s standard is much higher than simply competing to make a bowl.

At Big 12 Media Days, Gundy noted that this would be a rebuilding year for the Cowboys and that expectations for next season simply can’t be what they’ve been in years past. Still, there is an expectation for all of these offseason changes to at least result in a postseason bid.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly recently released his preview for the Big 12 next season using his SP+ system. Connelly projects the Cowboys to finish with 5.4 wins and be on the cusp of making a bowl.

With 3.6 conference wins projected, OSU might be able to push forward and make it to the postseason as long as it can take care of business in nonconference play. Sure, a loss at Oregon seems almost inevitable, but home wins against UT Martin and Tulsa would mean OSU needs only four wins in conference play.

“Gundy has steered out of skids before, and every time people start to call him washed up, he puts together a 10-win season,” Connelly wrote. “But he's never had to fix something this broken.”

It’s true that Gundy has never faced this situation before, but if the Cowboys can simply lean on their culture and their head coach’s experience, there’s a world where OSU can do much more than simply compete to make a bowl game.