Grading Bold Predictions for Oklahoma State's 2025 Season

Oklahoma State had plenty of interesting storylines coming into the 2025 season, but it wasn’t a year to be bold about how the year might turn out.

Coming into the 2025 campaign, there was some optimism that OSU would be able to make it back to a bowl game and rebound from its three-win season. Of course, it didn’t take long for that optimism to wear off and the season to turn into one of the worst in program history.

Grading bold predictions for the 2025 season:

Running back battle will be more interesting than quarterback battle

This one ended up being true, but it certainly wasn’t for the reasons that were written about back in August. It seemed clear that there would probably be a definitive answer on who the best quarterback was before conference play began, but with Hauss Hejny’s season-ending injury in the first quarter of the season, Zane Flores was dealt the starting job.

On the other hand, running back was still an interesting position to watch throughout the year. While guys like Freddie Brock and Trent Howland entered the season as players expected to make a run at the starting spot, Rodney Fields Jr. eventually emerged as the top guy, but it took some time to get to that result.

Grade: B+

OSU will clinch a bowl game before November

Coming into the 2025 season, there was plenty of optimism that the Cowboys would be able to make some noise and become somewhat of a contender in the Big 12 after nearly overhauling the entire coaching staff and bringing in a plethora of new faces. Had those moves worked out to some degree, this might not have even aged all that poorly.

Coming into the year, it appeared that OSU’s toughest conference games would come in November, essentially meaning OSU would need to beat the non-contenders on their slate going in, leaving potential losses to Oregon and Texas Tech. However, it was clear that there was no chance of this coming true after a 69-3 loss at Oregon.

Grade: F

Oklahoma State will finish the season ranked

OSU won one game all season. One. There was no point in the 2025 campaign where a ranking seemed even remotely attainable.

Of course, the thought behind this prediction was that the Cowboys could have a 2023-like resurgence and secure a spot in the AP poll, a feat OSU had accomplished at some point in the season every year going back to 2008. Instead, OSU was beaten up at every turn and this prediction was out of the realm of possibility the second time expired against Tulsa.

Grade: F