Oklahoma State's Season Opener Begins Road to Redemption

Oklahoma State’s 2025 season is finally here, and it means more than most openers in recent history.

The Cowboys are set for battle against UT Martin on Thursday night in what will be the first game of the 2025 season. With Mike Gundy back for his 21st season as the Cowboys’ head coach, game one will be one of the most important openers throughout his tenure.

While the Pokes are three-touchdown favorites against an FCS school at home, this game still means plenty for everyone who has seen what the program has gone through over the past nine months. Following the Cowboys’ nine-game losing streak to end the 2024 season, almost everything within the program changed.

With an almost entirely new coaching staff surrounding Mike Gundy and one of the largest transfer portal classes in the entire country, the Cowboys are entering 2025 with a much different look in almost every possible facet. Along with making necessary changes in the offseason, those who have stuck around with the team through these struggles know that Thursday’s game will be much more than just another opener.

One of the biggest keys to winning at the highest levels in college football today is fan engagement. With NIL and revenue sharing beginning to take over the landscape, it is more important than ever for schools to show that they are worthy of their fans’ time and money.

So, after arguably the most disappointing season in OSU history in 2024, the Pokes have something to prove to their top supporters when they go onto the field against the Skyhawks. Sure, the Cowboys will almost certainly win, and it might be a big blowout all the way through, but showing the same passion and effort that made so many fall in love with the program over the years will go a long way in regaining any trust that was lost last season.

OSU’s storylines for 2025 go well beyond simply needing to bounce back and give something to the fans, but those are storylines that will evolve as the season progresses. As for Thursday night, this season opener will be about the fans and the community that have stood by the Pokes, even after one of the worst seasons Stillwater has ever seen.