Oklahoma State Should Have No Expectations in 2025

The pressure is on the Cowboys to perform next season, but maybe it shouldn’t be.

Over the past year, Oklahoma State football has turned upside down. After entering 2024 as a Big 12 favorite and College Football Playoff contender, OSU’s hopes for the season were over before October. 

Finishing the year at 3-9, the Cowboys were among the most disappointing teams in college football after bursting into the top 15 in the first few weeks. Despite the losses that piled up over the final weeks, OSU still typically gave its best effort every game before the wheels fully came off in a 52-0 season finale loss at Colorado.

That huge loss marked OSU’s ninth straight and led to some significant changes in the offseason. OSU overhauled its roster and coaching staff, with Mike Gundy not even being 100% safe.

Still, Gundy will be entering his 21st season as head coach in 2025 and it will be one of his toughest jobs yet. With so many changes this offseason, the Cowboys are expected to bounce back and at least make a bowl game.

However, it might be best to treat this as a rebuilding year. OSU went into last season with huge expectations and was only seen as a disappointment. While another three-win season would obviously be disappointing, the Cowboys deserve an opportunity to operate without any outside pressure.

Under Gundy, OSU has consistently been in the Big 12 title conversation. And with a roster that no one believes can make that type of jump this season, it might be the perfect time for Gundy and company to have a year with no material goals.

The wins and losses will matter to the fans, but re-establishing a winning culture and taking the right steps in rebuilding the program is arguably more important. Process over results isn’t a popular way of thinking in college sports in this era, but it might be the way to get OSU back where it was just a few years ago.

Gundy and company will give it their best to win on Saturdays, but the losses shouldn’t be as crushing this season.