Oklahoma State Ranked No. 18 in Preseason Coaches Poll
Oklahoma State has earned the respect of college football coaches ahead of next season.
On Monday, USA Today released the preseason edition of its coaches poll. In 2024, OSU will enter the season with the No. 18 spot in the rankings.
The first coaches poll mostly follows the hierarchy of the Big 12’s preseason poll. The five teams receiving first-place votes in the poll are also the only five teams in the top 25. Utah leads the conference at No. 13, followed by Kansas State at No. 17. Arizona is below the Cowboys at No. 21 and Kansas rounds out the conference with the No. 24 spot.
West Virginia, Iowa State, UCF, Texas Tech and Colorado all received votes in the poll, giving 10 Big 12 teams some form of representation.
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After receiving minimal votes in 2023, OSU makes its first appearance in the preseason coaches poll since 2022, when it was No. 11. The Cowboys finished last season at No. 16 after winning the Texas Bowl to cap off a 10-win campaign. With Ollie Gordon leading the Cowboys’ attack, they should be in a position to finish the season ranked again in 2024.
Last season, OSU was among the best in the Big 12 and fought its way to an appearance in the Big 12 Championship. Although Mike Gundy’s team could not win the conference, it will return most of its important players from last season.
The Cowboys’ returning talent puts them in the driver’s seat for a Big 12 Championship appearance again. Although the Cowboys will not have an easy time navigating the Big 12 and a couple of contenders early, they have their best opportunity to make the College Football Playoff in the expanded 12-team field.
READ MORE: Oklahoma State Adds Transfer Kicker Drake Tabor to Roster in Training Camp
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IVAN WHITE
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.