Oklahoma State Ranks No. 17 in AP Preseason Poll
Oklahoma State has some of its highest expectations in the Mike Gundy era going into next season.
On Monday, the AP released its preseason top 25 poll, which featured OSU at No. 17. That spot is no surprise, considering the Cowboys are expected to be in the middle of the race for the Big 12 title and the College Football Playoff. Although OSU did not begin the 2023 season ranked, it surged into the top 25 to debut at No. 15 following a win against Oklahoma and ended the season at No. 16.
The Cowboys will begin the season ranked for the first time since 2022 when the team began at No. 12 following its 12-win campaign. That marked the fourth-highest preseason ranking for the Cowboys under Gundy and in school history.
2024 will be only the 12th season in OSU’s history it will begin the season ranked in the AP top 25. However, the Cowboys’ lack of expectations has not led to a lack of results in the past.
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In 15 seasons, the Cowboys have finished higher in the AP poll than they did in the preseason rankings. However, with almost all of those instances coming from unranked preseason teams, OSU has struggled to meet lofty preseason expectations.
Of the previous 11 seasons OSU began the year ranked, it has only finished with a higher ranking twice (2011 and 2016) and finished six unranked.
With Ollie Gordon looking to make his case for the Heisman next season and abundant returning talent on both sides of the ball, OSU should not have many issues living up to its ranking next season. Throughout his tenure, Gundy’s teams have proven the AP preseason poll to be inaccurate in some form. If that trend continues, OSU could finish the season unranked or be firmly in the hunt for a national championship.
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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.