Oklahoma State's Injuries Continue to Plague Disappointing Season
Oklahoma State isn’t getting healthier as the season progresses.
Through seven games, OSU sits at 3-4 and is in danger of missing a bowl game for the first time since 2005. While the team has struggled to replicate the success of its 10-win campaign last year, injuries have only complicated matters.
On Friday, OSU lost a heartbreaker at BYU in the final moments. However, it might have had an even bigger loss toward the end of the second quarter. After a 56-yard run, Garret Rangel was tackled hard and did not return to the game, with Mike Gundy saying he would be out for a while after the game.
On Monday, Gundy said that Rangel broke his collarbone and will have season-ending surgery on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Gundy also said that starting left tackle Dalton Cooper will be out for awhile.
As one of the key players on OSU’s offensive line, Cooper has played a significant role in protecting the quarterback and opening running lanes. With Ollie Gordon already banged up, losing one of OSU’s most reliable blockers is not what the team needed.
While the offense is mostly dealing with new injuries, OSU’s defense will continue to be shorthanded moving forward. In his press conference on Monday, Gundy said that Nick Martin will continue to miss time and is going to be out for a while.
Along with Collin Oliver, who has been out since the Arkansas game, the Cowboys are missing their top two players defensively. With the status of Trey Rucker and other contributors on that end unknown, Saturday could be a long day for the defense as it matches up against a Baylor team that just scored 59 points in its last game.
The Cowboys have reason for optimism as the season rages on, but with poor performances and injuries piling up, their hopes of a winning season dwindle each week.
READ MORE: Tracking Oklahoma State's Redshirt Situation Through Seven Games
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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.