Explosive Passing Attack Helping OSU Look Like Typical Mike Gundy Team
Oklahoma State entered 2024 expecting the rushing attack to lead the way but has transformed into a typical Mike Gundy team.
Following his Doak Walker Award win in 2023, Ollie Gordon II was projected to be not only the heart of the Cowboys’ offense but also the best running back in the country and a potential Heisman candidate. However, a slow start has hurt his ability to compete for awards and forced the Cowboys to take on a different identity.
Through three games, Gordon has 216 yards on 62 rushes, good for 3.5 yards per carry. Last season, Gordon averaged 6.1 yards per carry on his way to leading the nation in rushing.
While Gordon has still made plays in big moments, others have picked up the slack through the first three games. After not being trusted as the starter until conference play last year, Alan Bowman has been the key to OSU’s offensive success this season.
In 2024, Bowman has completed 67% of his passes for 967 yards, eight touchdowns and only two interceptions. His touchdown-interception ratio is vastly improved from his near-even mark last season, and he has looked much more comfortable this season.
With Bowman’s impressive start, OSU is eighth in the country in passing yards per game. If Bowman and the Cowboys can keep up that production, it would be the eighth time OSU has finished in the top 10 in passing yards per game in Gundy’s tenure.
However, it would be the first time OSU has achieved that mark since Kasey Dunn took over as offensive coordinator in 2020. The most recent time OSU finished in the top 10 in passing yards per game was in 2018, when Taylor Cornelius helped cap a four-year stretch of top 10 finishes after Mason Rudolph earned OSU the No. 1 ranking in 2017.
Brandon Weeden’s 2010 campaign was the first of three straight for OSU, eventually leading to a three-quarterback attack in 2012.
While 12 of Gundy’s 19 seasons have seen OSU finish outside the top 10 in passing yards per game, his teams have been known for a high-flying attack, and that appears to be in full swing again with Bowman in 2024.
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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.