ESPN Snubs Oklahoma State in Preseason Bowl Projections

Oklahoma State is hoping to bounce back next season, but it will have plenty of doubters.

Last season was a disaster in Stillwater. No one will deny that OSU’s 3-9 season was one of the biggest disappointments for the Cowboys in recent history.

While the sour taste of the 2024 season has lingered into 2025, it’s impossible to believe that the Cowboys are the same team. With an almost entirely new coaching staff and numerous newcomers on the roster after putting an emphasis on the transfer portal this offseason, the Cowboys are in a position to look much different than they did this time last year.

However, those changes don’t necessarily mean better results. While OSU certainly made all of these moves with a turnaround in mind, there’s no guarantee that things will work out in the favor of Mike Gundy’s team.

Still, Gundy will be going into his 21st year at the helm and looking to avoid what would be his third losing season. Although OSU would like to get back into Big 12 contention in the near future, this season will be much more about simply getting back on track and back into a bowl game.

While it’s quite an achievable goal, ESPN isn’t so sure that the Cowboys will be making their way into the postseason. In ESPN’s preseason bowl projections from Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach, OSU was nowhere to be found. With plenty of Big 12 foes and the in-state rival Sooners making the cut, OSU absolutely has the right to feel snubbed.

Path to a bowl game

OSU’s journey to the postseason won’t exactly be an easy one, even if fans believe that the Cowboys should be much better. Concerns of finding the right quarterback and finding chemistry with so many new faces will be the potential downfall of OSU’s early-season slate.

With roughly a month between the season opener and the Big 12 opener, OSU should have plenty of time to prepare for the games that matter most. Likely entering Big 12 play with a 2-1 record, OSU will almost certainly need four wins in conference play to make a bowl game.

Considering the Cowboys play some of the worst projected teams in the conference and have five of their nine Big 12 games at home, there is a somewhat favorable road ahead for the Cowboys. 

Proving the doubters wrong is sure to be a theme of OSU’s upcoming season, and it needs to take care of business to get back where it wants to be.