Should Oklahoma State Look Ahead to Next Season?
At the midpoint of the 2024 season, it might be time for Oklahoma State to look ahead.
Entering this season, OSU was one of the most experienced teams in college football and returned almost all of its production from 2023’s 10-win squad. While OSU has had a challenging schedule to begin the season, its lack of success has been puzzling.
The Cowboys’ experience seemed to play a role in their comeback victory against Arkansas in Week 2. After trailing throughout the first half and eventually making enough plays to win in double overtime, the Cowboys looked ready to carry that momentum into their Big 12 slate.
With a 45-10 win at Tulsa a week later, OSU’s status as a Big 12 contender remained unchanged going into conference play. Despite a disappointing performance against Utah, a couple of late touchdowns seemed to give OSU some optimism going into Manhattan.
However, a blowout loss at Kansas State followed by a blowout loss against West Virginia has OSU in a free fall as it enters the first bye week of 2024. In Saturday’s loss, ESPN’s Kirk Morrison suggested it would be wise for Ollie Gordon to sit out the rest of the season and prepare for the NFL after he left with an injury.
Although Gordon has not signaled any interest in shutting down for the season, that does prompt some interesting questions for the Cowboys moving forward. With other NFL-caliber players in their final season of eligibility and with many opting to return for this season to compete for a Big 12 title and beyond, it might be time for OSU to look ahead to 2025.
Even if the Cowboys run the table and finish with 10 wins again, they will still have failed to meet their preseason goals. OSU has already missed its opportunity to compete for a championship in 2024, but it could put itself in a better position to compete for future titles.
While the quarterback situation has garnered most of the attention, starting or giving significant playing time to younger players at other positions makes sense. Not only would those players earn valuable reps against Big 12 teams, they could be better prepared to take on increased roles in 2025.
At the season’s midpoint, OSU is unlikely to fully give up on the year. However, putting an increased focus on next season could be the most rewarding path.
READ MORE: Oklahoma State and BYU Set to Kick Off Big 12's Busy Week 8
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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.