Can Tulsa Actually Threaten Oklahoma State Next Season?

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are now in offseason mode now that spring workouts are done. But OSU isn’t done in the transfer portal as two more players have committed to join the program in the last week.

More than three months stand between the Cowboys and their season opener with the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Sept. 5. The program is undergoing a complete reset with new head coach Eric Morris replacing program icon Mike Gundy. With him came nearly 70 transfers, close to 20 of which came from his former school, North Texas.

That first game with an in-state rival is a triggering one from a season ago. After all, that game marked the end of Gundy’s era.

OSU Needs to Be Ready for Rematch

Tulsa Golden Hurricane head coach Tre Lamb looks on before a game. — Tulsa Golden Hurricane head coach Tre Lamb. | James Guillory-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State lost to Tulsa last year, 19-12, in Stillwater and shortly after the game Gundy was done. The Cowboys have a 44-28-5 record all-time against the Golden Hurricane and last year’s loss was just the seventh time OSU lost to Tulsa in Stillwater.

It was also Oklahoma State’s first loss to Tulsa since 1998.

Yes, Tulsa can still threaten Oklahoma State, even with all the turnover at both programs. OSU is 16-21-2 in Tulsa. The Cowboys have undergone unprecedented turnover for their program, especially in the post-Gundy era.

Head coach Tre Lamb shepherded impressive improvement for the Golden Hurricane. The win over OSU in Stillwater was the first since 1951. Tulsa also beat defending American Conference champion Army West Point. Tulsa also beat Oregon State in a 4-8 season.

Lamb is building and he’s going to catch the Cowboys at a time in which they’re still gelling as a team and determining roles. It’s the perfect time for the Golden Hurricanes to meet the Cowboys. It’s a big reason why Tulsa can win the game for the second year in a row.

Motivation shouldn’t be an issue — at least for the 20 or so Cowboys that return from last season. For the transfers, motivation will have to come from different sources. That’s where Morris can lean into the transfers that followed him from North Texas. Many of them were passed over by high major programs and found success with the Mean Green, which reached the American title game. He can use that chip on their collective shoulders to have them amped up for the opener.

Chances are Morris has heard enough about last year’s game to understand the stakes. The Tulsa game can be a tone-setter for Oklahoma State. It must be. But the Cowboys must treat the Golden Hurricane like they’re dangerous and not like a happy meal.

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