College Football HQ

College football program loses 25 players to transfer portal

Rowan Fisher Shotton|
Oklahoma State interim head coach Doug Meacham signals on the sidelines in the first half of the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Iowa State Cyclones at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma State interim head coach Doug Meacham signals on the sidelines in the first half of the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Iowa State Cyclones at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Oklahoma State Cowboys

Oklahoma State’s 2025 season ended amid results and roster turnover that point to a program undergoing significant change.

The Cowboys finished 1-11 overall and 0-9 in Big 12 play, with an offense that struggled all season and a defense that failed to stop opponents. 

The offense was led by freshman quarterback Zane Flores (1,450 passing yards, three touchdowns, seven interceptions), running back Rodney Fields Jr. (614 rushing yards, one TD), and wide receiver Gavin Freeman (481 receiving yards, four TDs).

Unfortunately, Flores has since declared his intention to leave the program.

On Monday, Flores officially announced plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, becoming the latest Cowboy to depart and, according to local trackers, the 25th Oklahoma State player to enter the portal this cycle.

Some of the bigger names who also plan to leave include sophomore wide receiver Shamar Rigby, sophomore offensive tackle Grant Seagren, and tight ends Grayson Brousseau (freshman) and Josh Ford (sophomore), alongside a handful of young defensive backs, linemen, edge rushers, and receivers.

Rigby (the team’s third-leading receiver with 351 yards), Ford, and Seagren stand out as notable losses, as each was a regular starter and a highly touted three-star recruit.

Flores remains the most significant departure, however, as Oklahoma State’s starting quarterback and the No. 27-ranked quarterback in the 2023 class.

Oklahoma State's Zane Flores.
Oklahoma State's Zane Flores (6) warms up before during the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Iowa State Cyclones at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The season’s early turning point came on September 23, when Oklahoma State fired longtime head coach Mike Gundy after a 1-2 start.

Gundy had led the Cowboys for 21 seasons, compiling a 170–90 record and guiding the program to 18 consecutive bowl appearances.

Offensive coordinator Doug Meacham was named interim head coach, and the school later hired North Texas’ Eric Morris as its next head coach on November 25. 

The coaching upheaval, Gundy’s dismissal, an interim stretch, and then a new hire set the backdrop for a midseason portal window and, ultimately, heavy roster attrition. 

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Rowan Fisher
ROWAN FISHER SHOTTON

Rowan Fisher-Shotton is a versatile journalist known for sharp analysis, player-driven storytelling, and quick-turn coverage across CFB, CBB, the NBA, WNBA, and NFL. A Wilfrid Laurier alum and lifelong athlete, he’s written for FanSided, Pro Football Network, Athlon Sports, and Newsweek, tackling every beat with both a reporter’s edge and a player’s eye.

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