Burning Answers: Lessons Learned in Oklahoma State's Season Finale
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Oklahoma State finished its disastrous season on Friday with one more awful performance.
OSU lost 52-0 to Colorado in the team’s first shutout loss since 2022 at Kansas State. With nine straight losses, OSU ended the season winless in conference play for the first time in the Big 12 era.
With so much uncertainty ahead of the Cowboys, the offseason will be filled with movement. Going into the offseason, OSU had one final chance to get a better idea of what team it is.
Answers to burning questions for OSU’s season finale:
Is Maealiuaki Smith ready to be OSU’s quarterback of the future?
After Smith’s big day against Texas Tech, some were ready to anoint the freshman QB1 for 2025. On Friday, he had only 70 yards and two interceptions while completing 38% of his passes.
Still, it was a good opportunity for OSU to see what it might have in Smith. He is still a talented young quarterback, but there will be a competitive quarterback battle next season.
Can Rodney Fields Jr. carry some momentum into year two?
Fields finished Friday’s game with only five carries for 13 yards and never got much of a chance to make something happen. Of course, Ollie Gordon was still out there getting snaps, and OSU’s offense was nonexistent throughout the game.
Do Kasey Dunn and Bryan Nardo have job-saving performances?
Throughout the season, it was possible to give OSU’s coordinators the benefit of the doubt. With personnel not necessarily fitting the coaches’ desired scheme and injuries piling up, it could’ve been possible for these guys to keep their jobs with a nice performance at Colorado.
Instead, Nardo’s defense allowed 52, and Dunn’s offense never scored and didn’t surpass 100 total yards until the final drive. If anything, the two had job-losing performances, but only time will tell if either coach is back next season.
Can the Cowboys keep it close enough for a potential upset?
OSU fell down 21-0 in the first quarter and looked dead, but it looked to have a puncher’s chance after a 0-0 second quarter. OSU quickly gave up two touchdowns out of halftime to put the game out of reach on a day OSU failed to even score a point.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.