Ollie Gordon, OSU Football To Add To Tremendous Big 12 Running Back Star Power
Week 0 has kicked off and college football has officially returned. Florida State and Georgia Tech are squaring off in Dublin in an ACC battle, and a smaller slate of games will follow up their game to give college football fans some games to watch.
Oklahoma State doesn't kick off for another week, though, as they open up with a contest against South Dakota State. They'll be competing in a new-look Big 12 which should pose a new opportunity to take over atop the conference.
Oklahoma and Texas are gone, and eight teams have been added over the past two seasons. However, Oklahoma State has been one of the most consistent programs for nearly two decades.
The conference is going to embody a running style this season, featuring some of the top running backs in all of college football. Of course, Ollie Gordon was the nation's leading rusher a season ago and will be back with the Cowboys, but the running backs in the conference run deeper than that.
With a new era coming for the conference, The Athletic's Justin Williams wrote about the star running backs helping reinvent and reshape the league. Gordon, Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks, Kansas' Devin Neal, UCF's duo of RJ Harvey and Penny Boone along with many more highlight the plethora of talent the Big 12 has at the position.
"Gordon and Brooks were two of the best backs in college football last year. Gordon won the Doak Walker Award and led the FBS with 1,732 rushing yards," Williams wrote. "Brooks was just a few spots behind him, fourth in the country at 1,538 yards, and both are back for their respective teams this fall. In fact, four of the top 10 rushing leaders in college football last year will play in the Big 12 this season, and seven of the top 25."
Gordon is easily the best running back in the league until proven otherwise, and he highlights a league filled with talent at the position. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormack understands where the best running backs in college football reside, too.
“The Big 12 is home to the best running backs in the country this season,” Yormark said.
For every team in the league, run defense will prove to be crucial as they navigate conference play and hope to win the Big 12. For Oklahoma State, using Gordon to pierce defenses and open up the passing game while Bryan Nardo's defense looks to stop the run will be essential.
The Cowboys, the home of the top running back in the nation, hoist plenty of potential in 2024 and will be among the most entertaining teams to follow in the league.
READ MORE: ESPN's College GameDay Leaves OSU Football Out Of College Football Playoff Prediction
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Kade has been covering a wide variety of teams ranging from the NFL to the NBA and college athletics since joining Sports Illustrated's On SI in 2022