Oklahoma State Continues Fight For First Big 12 Win Against UCF

The UCF Knights and Oklahoma State Cowboys are slated to kickoff on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Acrisure Bounce House.

The Knights, who now have to win out to become bowl eligible, host the Cowboys, who are in search of their first Big 12 win of the season and first win overall since their season-opener, for their final home game of the season.

Ivan White is a writer for Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI, and he took the time to answer some questions about how the team and fanbase have adjusted since firing their longtime coach and more:

1. With the firing of Mike Gundy, an era that, for many Oklahoma State fans, is the only one they’ve ever known, came to an abrupt end. Now, just shy of two months since then, how has the reality been setting in for Oklahoma State fans?

At first, there was definitely a feeling of shock, followed by just about every emotion imaginable from the fanbase. While it was certainly sad for most to see a legend like Gundy go, most fans understand why it was necessary two months later. Along with getting a head start on the coaching search, the midseason firing allowed fans to get ready for a new era, and it feels like most of the fanbase has taken the abrupt change quite well.

2. How has this team evolved since interim coach Doug Meachem took over?

Meacham isn’t head coach material by any means, especially at the Power Four level, but he has done a phenomenal job of keeping the team together since taking over. At every turn, the team continues to fight, despite being seriously outmanned in most games, and Meacham deserves a lot of the credit for the team’s attitude. With some other changes to the coaching staff, the team has legitimately gotten better on both sides of the ball, but getting both sides to play well at the same time has been a challenge.

3. The Cowboys kept it close with Kansas State last weekend. What worked for them in that game, and how translatable is it against the Knights?

It hasn’t necessarily shown up on the scoreboard every game, but the OSU defense has been an improved unit since Clint Bowen took over. OSU’s defense will be the key against UCF, particularly with how the Cowboy offense has struggled. The Cowboys did a great job at containing a Kansas State attack that has plenty of weapons, but finding consistency on a week-to-week basis has been a challenge, and UCF might be able to exploit that.

4. Of course, the Cowboys still gave up five turnovers. What did you notice on those plays, and is it something that could get corrected going into this weekend?

With a freshman quarterback, trick plays and, frankly, a team pressing too hard to finally get a Big 12 win, some of those mistakes might be inevitable. Of course, three turnovers instead of five probably turns last week’s game into a win, but these mistakes are still to be expected from a young team that hasn’t had much go its way. Obviously, some of that can be corrected, and the coaching staff has surely been addressing those costly mistakes, but some of it has just been a product of OSU’s situation this season.

5. Oklahoma State fans garnered some national college football attention this season with the shirtless fans in Section 231. It’s even been copied by other fanbases across the country. What did Section 231 showcase about Cowboys fans and why do you think it resonated as much as it did nationwide?

OSU’s mantra has always been “loyal and true,” and I think that has stood out this season. Especially with a few 11 a.m. kickoffs at home in Big 12 play, it would’ve been easy for fans to simply stop showing up, but the Cowboy fanbase has displayed exactly what has made Boone Pickens Stadium so special for decades. As for the national impact, I think the shirtless section and a true passion for a one-win team are part of what makes college football so great, and the entire country understands that.

6. Aside from not turning the ball over, what do the Cowboys need to do to pick up their first Big 12 win this season?

As simple as it sounds, the Cowboys just need to have a solid performance on both sides of the ball. They scored 21 points and led for most of the first half against Kansas in a game where defense was the issue, but followed that by holding Kansas State to 14 and only putting up six points on the other side. Any OSU win won’t look pretty. It’d have to be a 21-17 game or something along those lines, but the Cowboys should have enough confidence on both sides to at least believe a win is possible after how they’ve played recently.

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