Oklahoma State Could Have Easy Nonconference Finale

Oklahoma State’s 2025 schedule will have some twists and turns, but the Cowboys must take advantage of their easy opportunities.

After going 3-9 last season, OSU is looking to make some strides toward being a Big 12 contender in 2025. While actually making the Big 12 Championship next season is far-fetched, simply having competitive matchups against the conference’s best and securing a bowl game would be a success for OSU.

Of course, for conference play to matter, the Cowboys will need to take care of business in their nonconference battles. Next season, OSU will have an incredibly tough game at Oregon, but should at least enter Big 12 play at 2-1.

With an FCS matchup against UT Martin to begin the season, OSU’s hopes of entering its conference opener with a winning record will likely come down to a matchup against Tulsa. With a Friday night battle against the Golden Hurricane slated for mid-September, the Cowboys will need to take care of their rival.

While OSU’s 3-9 campaign last season could be a sign of trouble going into the Tulsa matchup, the Cowboys could be getting a break next season. Tulsa also went 3-9 last season and is expected to be among the worst in the country again in 2025.

In Bill Connelly’s preview of the American Athletic Conference for next season, his SP+ rankings show that Tulsa should be near the bottom of its conference standings. While Tulsa ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of continuity, it isn’t always helpful to return a large amount of production from a struggling team.

Connelly’s rankings project Tulsa to finish with 3.9 wins next season, ranking above only Temple and Charlotte in the AAC. The Golden Hurricane’s No. 120 overall ranking places them near the bottom of the FBS.

While the Cowboys having a projected bad opponent is great on paper, they still must go out and take care of business. Although it’d be nice for OSU to get a challenge more on par with what it will face in the Big 12, Mike Gundy’s team will surely be fine taking any win it can get next season.