Ollie Gordon II Yet to Find Groove for Cowboys

Oklahoma State’s talented back has yet to return to form.

Sep 21, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Ollie Gordon II (0) on the field during the fourth quarter against the Utah Utes at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images

Ollie Gordon II hasn’t gotten off to the start in 2024 that most anticipated.

A Heisman candidate last year, the Oklahoma State running back has premier ability both on the ground and through the air, as seen by his 2,062 yards from scrimmage in 2023. But through four games this season, Gordon hasn’t seen near that level of production.

So far, he’s rushed for just 3.5 yards a pop, rushing four 258 yards in total. After a decent Week 1, he’s rushed for just 49, 41 and 42 yards respectively.

But there’s a few silver linings that come with Gordon’s down production.

The first, is that the back saw a similarly slow start last season before finishing on a high note. Through three games in 2023, he saw just 19 attempts for 109 total yards. Over the course of the next 11 games, he would rush for 1,623 total yards en route to a top-seven finish in Heisman voting.

Another is that despite Gordon’s down production, the Cowboys still look the part of a decent football team. They’re 3-1 with quality wins already, and 3-point loss to Utah — despite an abysmal offense — likely could’ve been solved with Gordon’s return to form.

The Cowboys need their star to be just that if they want to win the Big 12. But a bounce-back game against No. 23 Kansas State could be in the cards for both the team and running back.

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