On3 Includes OSU Football in Post-Spring Top 25 Rankings
The Oklahoma State Cowboys could be building toward an incredible 2024 college football season. They're returning an absurd amount of talent from a team which went 10-4 a season ago, winning the Texas Bowl and falling short in the Big 12 title game.
Still, oddsmakers and those around the media don't quite believe in the Cowboys. A big reason the program lost two of those four games is because an early season malpractice. The program rotated three starting quarterbacks and had yet to really utilize Ollie Gordon, who eventually won the Doak Walker Award.
Everyone saw the program figure things out in real-time. And when they did, it was special. They've got a talented wide receiver corps, combined with Gordon being a superstar in the backfield and Alan Bowman being every bit of a veteran under center.
READ MORE: Oklahoma State Receives Transfer Commitment from Bucknell Long Snapper
Offensively, the team looks to be set. Defensively, there's changes coming for defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo -- who is entering his second season with the program. Still, improvement will be had on that side of the football.
The team didn't lose much in the transfer portal and they project to be an even better next season. With media outlets releasing their post-spring top 25 rankings, the Cowboys have been a consistent feature, though in different ranges. On3 recently released their updated rankings, with Oklahoma State coming in ranked No. 23.
"We counted out the Cowboys after the South Alabama loss last year, and Ollie Gordon II carried them to the Big 12 title game," On3 wrote. "Gordon is back along with QB (and presumably Dr.) Alan Bowman and the schedule is manageable apart from a hellish back-to-back of Utah and Kansas State in late September. Even with all the newcomers, Oklahoma State should still be in the hunt for the Big 12 title."
Being in the hunt for a Big 12 title, yet being ranked No. 23 is an interesting choice. If this team finds their way back to the title game -- with Oklahoma and Texas headed to the SEC -- it's hard to imagine they're not on the bubble of making the College Football Playoffs.
With an expanded playoff field -- bringing the total to 12 teams -- the Cowboys will surely be on the bubble if they can build off and improve from their 10-4 season a year ago.
With On3's rankings, the Cowboys fall just below USC and just ahead of Oklahoma, some incredibly solid programs to be ranked alongside, but the ranking still feels too low.
READ MORE: Big 12 Spurned by Fox Friday Night Schedule
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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