Recruiting Could Hold Back Oklahoma State, Big 12 Moving Forward

Winning a national championship is the most difficult task in college football, and the Big 12 might not be in the mix anytime soon.

Throughout the past few years, the Big 12 has undergone some significant changes. From a 10-team league headlined by big names such as Oklahoma and Texas in 2023 to a 16-team league without either of those schools in 2025, there is no doubt that the Big 12 is a clear reflection of this new era of college sports.

As times change, so do the ways teams compete for a championship. Over the past few years, the transfer portal has played a significant role in determining the college football landscape. 

For example, Oklahoma State was turning its season around by intercepting Kansas State’s Will Howard in 2023. Then, a year later, he was the starting quarterback for the national champion Ohio State Buckeyes.

At this point, it can feel like the only thing consistent about college football is inconsistency. However, one thing has stayed the same throughout all of these changes, and that’s how to build a national champion.

The blue-chip ratio gives the percentage of four or five-star recruits that a team has signed in the past four recruiting classes. In CBS Sports’ latest deep dive, it showed that every national champion in recent history has had a blue-chip ratio of at least 50%. 

Going into next season, 18 teams hit that mark. With a 12-team playoff field, that could lead to some excitement and some true heavyweight battles throughout. However, the Big 12 is the only power conference team without a single representative on the list.

OSU has never been known for getting the top recruits in the country, but that has also hindered it from truly taking the next step and becoming a national contender. Getting three-star talent and developing has been a hallmark of many of the typically successful teams in the Big 12.

While that can lead to 10-win seasons and an occasional playoff berth, it is unlikely to lead to a championship if the other side consistently has recruiting classes filled with top-end talent. It isn’t impossible for the Big 12 to win a national title in this era, but considering the conference hasn’t hoisted a national championship trophy since the 2005 season, this isn’t a new problem and it likely isn’t going away.