Mike Gundy's Seat Among the Hottest in the Country

There is no doubt that Oklahoma State must be better next season, but the fallout from another bad season likely wouldn’t spare Mike Gundy this time around. 

Over the past year, OSU football has been among the most interesting programs in the country. Entering 2024, the Cowboys were expected to be among the top teams in the Big 12 and compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

After earning the No. 3 spot in the Big 12 preseason poll, the Cowboys finished with only three wins for the season, including a winless mark in conference play. That awful performance throughout the season led to the Cowboys making some immense changes in the offseason. 

OSU’s coaching overhaul was headlined by the hirings of Doug Meacham and Todd Grantham, with Mike Gundy being able to stick around for his 21st season. The Cowboys also saw many players from last season’s team depart, leading to a significant amount of additions through the transfer portal.

If those changes work out for the Cowboys, they should have no problem getting back on track as a program. A successful season for the Cowboys is as simple as having a winning record and making a bowl game again.

However, if things go south for OSU again and it is on the outside looking in come bowl season, there could be some more major changes in Stillwater after the season. According to CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah’s latest article, Gundy’s hot seat is among the hottest in the entire country.

Out of a five-point rating scale, Gundy holds a 4.33 rating. That is a massive change from his one-point rating coming into last season. Of the 136 coaches ranked, only three have a hotter seat than Gundy, with Louisiana Tech’s Sonny Cumbie (5), Oklahoma’s Brent Venables (4.67) and UAB’s Trent Dilfer (4.44) leading the way.

Gundy’s rich history in Stillwater likely prevented him from getting fired in the offseason, but he seems to be on thin ice entering next season. As long as the Cowboys show some clear improvement on the field, OSU’s increased recruiting success could help Gundy move closer to only leaving the job on his terms.