Oklahoma State Football Recruiting Weekly: Why Cowboys National Ranking Perfectly Timed

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are trying to boost their recruiting profile for the 2027 Class and beyond. The timing of OSU’s national ranking couldn’t be better.

Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Eric Morris. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Two weeks ago, when the Oklahoma State Cowboys upset Oregon, head coach Eric Morris said that he felt his program was behind when it came to the Class of 2027.

He knew that a win like that over a nationally ranked team, one that had been to the College Football Playoff each of the past two seasons, would help.

Morris also knows is that a three-game winning streak helps, and the Cowboys are on one. Oklahoma State has won three games in a row for the first time since the start of the 2024 season.

He also knows being undefeated in conference play helps, especially when that first league win snaps an 18-game Big 12 Conference losing streak.

Nearly every albatross the Cowboys had hanging around their necks coming into the season has been pushed it to the side. The Cowboys enter their bye week hoping to get healed up.

But there's another reason why the bye week, coupled with Oklahoma State's new national ranking, is perfectly timed. It gives Morris and his staff a chance to catch up on the Class of 2027.

What Eric Morris and Staff Will Do This Week

Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Eric Morris. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cowboys are ranked No. 19 in the country in the AP Top 25. It's their first national ranking since Week 4 of the 2024 season. It comes at a time when Morris and his staff will likely spend as much time on the road looking at recruits as they will be game planning for UCF on Oct 10.

This is a prime opportunity for Morris to shop his program. He needs to, especially for the Class of 2027.

Per 247 Sports (subscription required), the Cowboys have the No. 14 ranked recruiting class in the Big 12. Of their 12 commits, two are considered four-star players. That's an improvement over Morris' Class of 2026, which was thrown together after he took over in December. He didn't have any four-star players. Now star ratings don't matter to coaches like Morris. What they see on film and in person does. But recruits also know what Oklahoma State's been through the past two seasons.

Before Morris arrived, the Cowboys were 4-20 in their last two seasons, they had the 18-game conference losing streak and after their loss to Tulsa in Week 1 they had a 21-game losing streak against FBS schools.

After that Oregon win — when more than 100 recruits were on campus for official visits — he said something else. Winning is the best recruiting tool.

For the last nine months Morris has only been able to paint a picture of his vision for what Oklahoma State football can be with recruits. Now, four games into his tenure, he has something tangible to take to recruits. And it’s exciting.

The bye week couldn't come at a better time. The Cowboys need to heal and Morris needs to hit the recruiting trail. It's a win-win for the Cowboys and their head coach.