3 Reasons Why Oklahoma State Will Win Big 12 in 2025

Oklahoma State is ready to bounce back next season, and it could be ready to bounce back bigger than anyone expects.

Last season was a disaster in Stillwater. OSU won only three games after being a Big 12 title favorite in the preseason and missed a bowl game for the first time in nearly two decades.

After some serious changes in the offseason, the Cowboys are set to try and compete in the Big 12 once again. Although there isn’t much noise about their chances to win the conference, they could certainly make a surprise run to the top of the Big 12.

Three reasons why Oklahoma State will win the Big 12:

Chaos benefits the Cowboys

In a Big 12 that saw the preseason last-place team make a run to the College Football Playoff last season, anything is possible for the Cowboys. Parity is a key in this era of college football, and the Big 12 has plenty.

Although the Cowboys are expected to finish in the bottom half of the conference standings, the gap between the top and the middle isn’t massive, with Arizona State being the Big 12’s highest-ranked team at only No. 11. Without a true powerhouse in the Big 12, it’s possible for a team like OSU to make a run.

A schedule fit for surprising results

Along with the Big 12 not having a powerhouse for the Cowboys to deal with, they won’t even have to match up against a single preseason top 15 team in conference play. With only teams on the fringes of the top 25 on the conference slate, OSU’s matchup at Oregon certainly projects to be the toughest of the season.

If the Cowboys can compete or even get the upset in Eugene, knowing every opponent should be “easier” from there could be a serious confidence booster for the Pokes. OSU knows it will be tough to win in the Big 12, but it also knows that every game on the slate should be winnable.

Mike Gundy

As one of the longest-tenured coaches in all of sports, Gundy is set for his 21st season in Stillwater and is no stranger to the task ahead. After making numerous runs to Big 12 Championships (including de facto title games), Gundy knows what it takes to compete in this conference, even if it is unrecognizable from a few years ago.

Under his leadership, the Cowboys have reached heights that were unthinkable before his arrival. Across 20 seasons, OSU has rarely had consecutive years being outside of the Big 12 title picture. 

Following a three-win season, he is surely ready to prove once again that he is a premier coach for a premier program.