Can Cowboys Avoid Another Winless Big 12 Slate in 2025?

Oklahoma State has made plenty of changes this offseason, but there are no guarantees they will deliver better results.

Last season, the Cowboys were one of the most disappointing teams in college football. After spending the first few weeks in the discussion for a College Football Playoff spot and a true contender to win the Big 12, the Cowboys fell flat quickly. A top 15 matchup against Utah was the first of nine straight losses to finish the worst season of the Mike Gundy era.

Naturally, OSU had to re-evaluate its position in the Big 12 and the country after the season. That led to the firings of offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn and defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo. Along with those two, many positions across the staff are now filled with new faces.

Head coach Mike Gundy narrowly avoided that fate and restructured his contract ahead of his 21st season. Gundy has rightfully earned the benefit of the doubt by getting the program to 18 bowl games in 20 years.

However, his time with the program seems to be nearing its end if things don’t begin to turn around. It doesn’t seem far-fetched to say that Gundy will still be safe if the team misses a bowl game but shows positive signs and improvement.

Yet, the possibility of having an even worse season than 2024 is on the table for the Cowboys. With so many new faces in Stillwater, there will be a natural learning curve.

With an almost entirely new coaching staff, even the returning players will need some time to adjust to their new roles and new system that they will be playing in. Add in that the Cowboys lost an abundance of experience, and there is a chance that next season looks like a disaster.

So many players who will play key roles for OSU next season have had limited opportunities in their college careers up to this point. With a number of unknowns set to be on the field, it is a legitimate possibility that OSU simply looks unprepared or lacks the talent to compete in the Big 12.