Sep 19, 2025; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys coach Mike Gundy on the sidelines during the first half against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images William Purnell-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State's Loss to Tulsa Signals Unofficial End of Mike Gundy Era

Originally posted on Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI
By Ivan White | Last updated Sep 20, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Oklahoma State’s loss to Tulsa said a lot about the state of the program and could signal that this is the final chapter of the Mike Gundy era.

Over the past two seasons, OSU has reached new lows under Gundy. After missing a bowl game as a first-year head coach in 2005, Gundy rattled off 18 straight seasons with winning records and postseason appearances.

However, last season’s 3-9 campaign derailed the streak of success the Cowboys had seen throughout his tenure. While Gundy was on the hot seat after 2024, he restructured his contract as OSU made significant changes to the coaching staff.

Those changes appeared to make some sort of difference in the offseason, with a different energy surrounding the team going into fall camp. Although the offense was stagnant, allowing only seven points in OSU’s best statistical defensive performance since Jim Knowles was around against UT Martin was certainly encouraging.

Of course, the wheels fell off against Oregon, but that was somewhat understandable, even with the 66-point margin. However, a loss to Tulsa is nothing short of inexcusable and a fireable offense.

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OSU hadn’t lost to the Golden Hurricane since 1998 and hadn’t lost to them at home since 1951. To say this is unfamiliar territory for the Cowboys under Gundy would be a severe understatement.

After the game, Gundy deflected any questions about his future with the program, simply falling back on the idea that OSU needs to get better every week. Frankly, those types of comments would have been just fine if that was said after OSU suffered its second loss by seven points against Baylor to begin Big 12 play, but it wasn’t.

He said those things after the Cowboys' second loss came against Tulsa, dropping the Pokes to 1-2, needing a winning record in conference play to even make a bowl game. Maybe this year looks different right now if Hauss Hejny never gets hurt, but it’s also not like this is the first time Gundy has had to go to his second option at quarterback, and none of those campaigns have ever looked this bad.

After Oklahoma and Texas moved to the SEC, OSU was supposed to be a clear contender in the Big 12 every year. Now, OSU is a team that doesn’t seem capable of finishing in the top half of any FBS conference, much less the Big 12.

Gundy has been the face of OSU football for decades, and he will surely earn honors in and around the stadium as a result, but his time as the Cowboys’ coach is ending, and it’s just a matter of when that call gets made.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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