Oklahoma State Ranks Outside Top 100 in Returning Production
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Oklahoma State had a tough year in 2024, but it will have a lot of new faces in 2025.
After entering last season as one of the favorites to win the Big 12 and compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff, OSU finished without a win in Big 12 play. The Cowboys’ 3-9 season also marked the first losing season since 2005 and only the second of Mike Gundy’s tenure.
As Gundy enters his 21st season, there has never been more uncertainty surrounding the program. OSU not only finished winless in conference play last season, but it also lost almost all of its production after 2024.
With such an experienced group, the Cowboys’ demise was shocking to most and left the team at a crossroads. With an almost entirely new coaching staff coming in, the Cowboys hit the portal harder than they have in any other season.
With a new batch of coaches and a completely retooled roster, OSU’s 2025 season could be one of the most interesting in recent memory. Considering all of the production OSU lost and had to replace, its ranking in ESPN’s list for returning production is unsurprising.
OSU came in at No. 104 in the rankings, bringing back only 45% of its production. That number also accounts for transfers, which puts the Cowboys at a tough spot coming into 2025.
Despite failing to reach the 50% mark on offense or defense and finishing outside of the top 100 overall, the Cowboys still bring back more production than other squads in the Big 12. Albeit, the Cowboys only rank 15th out of 16 teams, narrowly ahead of UCF at No. 106.
While the lack of returning production seems like a bad thing, it might not necessarily be. Along with losing many of the key players on a team that only managed three wins, the Cowboys are relying on similar amounts of incoming production as some of the top teams in the country.
Of the first 10 teams outside of the top 100, OSU is in the same company as teams such as Ohio State, Texas and Oregon. While OSU might not see the same results as those teams, it might not be a bad sign for Gundy and company to be in a similar spot.
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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.