Oklahoma State Safety Out For Season With Torn ACL
Oklahoma State’s injuries continue to mount as conference play intensifies.
On Wednesday, OSU safety Cameron Epps posted an Instagram story announcing he tore his ACL. Epps left Friday night’s game against BYU with an injury and did not return, but the severity of his injury was unknown until Epps’ post.
The Cowboys have struggled to find success defensively throughout the 2024 season. While schemes and matchups have played a significant role, injuries have decimated that unit over the past several weeks.
OSU’s defense hasn’t been near full strength since Collin Oliver left the Arkansas game in Week 2. Along with Oliver, Nick Martin will be out for “a while.” Trey Rucker and Dylan Smith have missed time, and Epps is now slated to miss the rest of the year.
After bursting onto the scene as a significant contributor with three interceptions and 40 tackles last season, he has taken a backseat this season. Still, Epps has been a solid contributor, making 11 tackles, including two tackles for loss.
Without Epps, OSU’s defense continues to get thinner and could be in trouble as the season progresses. While young players such as Landyn Cleveland could come in and make an impact, the Cowboys’ lack of veterans amid injuries will only further their chances of missing a bowl game.
OSU has had 18 consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances. However, with injuries also hurting the offensive side, OSU is entering dangerous territory going into the final five games.
OSU’s defense has already cemented its spot among the worst in the Big 12, and as backups continue to get increased roles, the situation could get worse. OSU’s next game is on Saturday against Baylor, which scored 59 points in its last game at Texas Tech.
Epps’ injury is yet another crushing blow for the Cowboys, but the season will go on regardless of how many guys OSU has out.
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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.