How Much Will 2025 Results Impact Oklahoma State's Future?

Oklahoma State is in a rough spot, but this season could determine what the next several years of Cowboy football look like.

The Cowboys have won only two games against FBS teams in the past two seasons and are currently riding a 12-game losing streak in those matchups. Still without a Big 12 win since 2023, the Cowboys are hoping to bounce back at some point this season.

However, there is a real chance that OSU will enter the offseason having put together a 1-11 season, riding a 20-game FBS losing streak. Considering the Cowboys are already in for an incredibly chaotic offseason with Mike Gundy out of the picture and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham also losing his job midseason, they might not have to worry much about the result of this season.

Obviously, the Pokes don’t want to enter the offseason on an 11-game winning streak, and with interim coach Doug Meacham at the helm, OSU might be able to rally the troops for at least a couple of Big 12 wins. On the other hand, OSU’s talent dropoff from last season, coupled with midseason coaching changes, could keep the Cowboys from reaching their full potential.

While the Cowboys appear likely to have an overhaul of the staff again going into next season, including at the top, some of the folks in the building will still be around, perhaps even Meacham. Even if most of the staff changes before the 2026 season, this group will still be responsible for getting recruits to commit throughout the rest of the season.

Of course, if things are going poorly on the field and that creeps into what happens behind the scenes, it could set OSU’s next staff back even further. Although it might not matter too much if the Cowboys finish 1-11, OSU can’t afford to carry itself like a 1-11 program.

Roughly a week into Meacham’s stint as head coach, that hasn’t been an issue at all. Morale is still high and things are still fresh, and assuming the Cowboys can continue to find ways to have fun in a long season that might not result in team success will be huge for the next generation.

Although the long-term success of OSU will be determined by the next regime that comes in over the offseason, the difficulty of getting the Cowboys back to contention will be determined by what happens over the next few months.