Oklahoma State Falls Out of Top 25 After 0-2 Big 12 Start
Oklahoma State’s nightmare start to Big 12 play has it outside of the rankings.
On Saturday, the Cowboys lost at Kansas State 42-20 in Manhattan in a ranked matchup. It might be have been their final ranked matchup of the season.
The AP released its Top 25 on Sunday, and for the first time this season, OSU is on the outside. Not earning a spot in the top 25, OSU still received votes, finishing 32nd overall in the poll. While Mike Gundy’s team did not make it, the Big 12 has four representatives: No. 16 Iowa State, No. 17 BYU, No. 18 Utah and No. 20 Kansas State.
OSU’s loss to Kansas State gave the team its first 0-2 start in conference play since Gundy’s first season at the helm in 2005. With a poor start in Big 12 play, OSU is sitting unranked for the first time since the week of Bedlam last season.
Early in Saturday’s game, it seemed that Ollie Gordon would be impactful. However, the team went away from what was working, and Gordon got limited touches after halftime.
Without a well-functioning rushing attack, OSU relied on the passing game, which was not much better. Bowman completed only 26 of his 50 passes, accumulating 364 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
Perhaps the biggest question moving forward will be the at quarterback. Against Utah, OSU showed a willingness to make a change, but after a poor performance by Garret Rangel, that might not be imminent.
Another pressing question will be if OSU can re-enter the top 25 at some point this season. 2022 was the last season OSU re-entered the top 25 after falling out. However, it was only for one week during the Cowboys’ free fall to finish that campaign.
READ MORE: Burning Answers: Lessons Learned in Oklahoma State's Blowout Loss
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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.