Oklahoma State's Ollie Gordon II (0) scores a touchdown in the first half of the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Aug., 31, 2024. SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ranking Every Oklahoma State Game in 2024 - No. 2: South Dakota State

Originally posted on Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI
By Ivan White | Last updated Aug 17, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Oklahoma State’s 2024 season didn’t go as planned, but the season opener left plenty of reason for optimism.

Last season was supposed to go down as one of the best in the Mike Gundy era. After some inconsistent years in the past half-decade or so, the Cowboys finally looked poised to have a shot at making something special happen.

Projected to be in the Big 12 title race and in the mix for a spot in the College Football Playoff, OSU’s continuity and experience should have made it a force to be reckoned with. While that obviously didn’t pan out, the Cowboys’ performance to open the year provided fans with some high hopes.

Going up against a South Dakota State team that had won back-to-back national championships and hadn’t lost in nearly two years, the Cowboys knew they weren’t facing a typical FCS program. Still, OSU had confidence that it would not only be able to win, but defeat the Jackrabbits in convincing fashion.

A perfect start to an imperfect year

OSU’s season kicked off with a 44-20 win, and the Cowboys were in control the entire way. With a bit of Heisman hype coming into the season, Ollie Gordon made some headlines early on.

In the second quarter, Gordon picked up where he left off as 2023’s leading rusher and ran in a 12-yard score to put the Cowboys up 17-3. Of course, OSU’s first trip to the end zone was courtesy of fan favorite Brennan Presley’s 6-yard catch in the first quarter.

Still leading only 17-6 at halftime, OSU wanted to make a statement in the second half, and it did. A few minutes into the second half, Gordon found the end zone for the second time, putting the Cowboys up 24-6.

While South Dakota State quickly answered back, the Cowboys shut the door in the third quarter. Rashod Owens scored on a 58-yard pass from Alan Bowman and Gordon capped off a dominant frame with a 1-yard score. Add in a Logan Ward field goal early in the fourth, and OSU suddenly held a 28-point advantage.

Gordon finished the day with 126 yards and three touchdowns, as the Cowboys appeared to set the tone for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, this would end up as one of their best performances of the year, marking a rare bright spot in the three-win campaign.