Oklahoma State HC Mike Gundy's seat is scorching hot after humiliating loss

Mike Gundy's two-decade tenure at Oklahoma State has been mostly successful. At times, extremely successful. But every coach has a shelf life, and Gundy might be reaching his with the Cowboys. If his seat wasn't already hot going into the Cowboys' second game of the 2025 season, it certainly is following Saturday's humiliating 69-3 loss to No. 6-ranked Oregon.

OK State has not adjusted well to the NIL era

It's not just about the fact Oklahoma State was humiliated by a top team on Saturday. It's also the fact Oklahoma State is coming off a 3-9 season in 2024 that saw it lose nine consecutive games to end the season, while not really showing any ability to adapt to the new way of college football regarding NIL money and investments in the program.

Gundy has spoken about NIL and how it creates strain on universities and athletic departments, and that it is creating an unbalanced playing field in college football. He doubled down on those beliefs ahead of this week's game and referenced the immense budget Oregon is working with. 

Oklahoma State and Gundy have not really adapted to the changing landscape, and they are now just 4-10 since the start of the 2024 season. Even worse, the program is just 21-20 since the start of the 2022 season. That is a pretty sustained run of mediocrity that is not getting any better. Unless Gundy and the program adapt more to the NIL era. it is hard to imagine any of that changing anytime soon. 

Mike Gundy's seat was probably already hot coming into the season

Even though Gundy has been at Oklahoma State for more than two decades, his time with the program has had some rocky moments.

He's been at the center of a handful of controversies given some of his off-field comments, while he has also flirted with other job openings during more successful times. Following the three-win season in 2024, he was involved in a contract standoff with the team that resulted in him taking a lower salary and lowering his buyout. 

The wheels already seemed to be in motion for a potential parting of ways between the two sides. Now just two weeks into the season, OK State has had an uninspiring win against an FCS squad and lost by 66 points to the first power team it played. None of that is encouraging for what might be ahead this season.