There’s simply one thing about enjoying underdog that Mike Gundy appears to like, regardless of how a lot he wins. Oklahoma State was picked seventh in final season’s Massive 12 preseason ballot. Months later, the Pokes upset Oklahoma within the closing Bedlam and performed for a Massive 12 championship. The Cowboys have reached double-digit wins eight occasions beneath Gundy’s watch. Half got here after beginning the 12 months unranked within the preseason AP High 25. 

However in 2024, the shortage of consideration is head-scratching. Oklahoma State has the seventh-best odds to win the Massive 12 championship, behind groups like Iowa State and Texas Tech. The Cowboys are tied with UCF, which went 6-7 throughout a irritating first season as an influence convention group. Paradoxically, the one Knights win in opposition to a legacy Energy 5 group got here in opposition to OSU. 

Granted, Oklahoma State was under no circumstances dominant throughout its run to the Massive 12 title recreation. Weird losses to UCF and South Alabama got here by a mixed 78-10. The Cowboys wanted double additional time to outlive a late cost from BYU. However nonetheless, Oklahoma State steadily held its floor. Heading into 2024, final season feels way more like an early arrival than a peak. 

For one, working again Ollie Gordon II is again after a Doak Walker Award-winning marketing campaign. Gordon rushed for 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns throughout a breakout sophomore season and can enter the 2024 season as the highest returning rusher within the sport by a large margin. 247Sports ranks his offensive line No. 1 within the nation, forward of behemoths at LSU and Georgia. The unit boasts 5 starters, together with tackles Dalton Cooper and Jake Springfield who mix for 89 begins. 

Total, Oklahoma State ranks No. 3 in returning manufacturing nationally per ESPN, trailing solely Iowa State and Stanford. An absurd 85% of manufacturing returns to varsity soccer with playmakers at nearly each degree. Defensive lineman Collin Oliver is a possible first-round draft decide to guide the unit. Quarterback Alan Bowman was capable of wrangle yet one more 12 months of eligibility in 2024. The Pokes reached Massive 12 competition solely as soon as Bowman absolutely took over beneath heart. 

Whereas returning manufacturing isn’t any assure of success, it does set a baseline. Final season, Florida State, Kansas and Michigan have been the three prime Energy 5 groups in returning manufacturing. These groups mixed to go 37-5 and every put collectively their finest seasons in at the least a decade. 

By the best way, the best stumbling block is gone. Gundy misplaced 15 video games in opposition to Oklahoma, which represents almost 20% of his profession losses. Now, the Cowboys have everlasting scoreboard and Gundy by no means has to fret about Oklahoma ever once more. It needs to be an enormous weight off his shoulders heading ahead. 

It have to be stated, a non-Oklahoma group has ridden close-game luck to the Massive 12 title recreation basically yearly because it returned in 2017. Historical past is paved with horror tales of their follow-up seasons. There was 2023 TCU, which went from the nationwide title recreation to lacking a bowl recreation. One 12 months earlier, Baylor went from a Sugar Bowl victory to a shedding report. Iowa State additionally fell from a daily season first-place Massive 12 end in 2020 to a disappointing 7-6 marketing campaign. 

Nonetheless, there are a number of items that assist crack the code of a profitable Mike Gundy group. For one, expertise at quarterback helps. All eight of Gundy’s 10-win seasons got here beneath multi-year starters. A celebrity huge receiver helps too — and Brennan Presley is again to take that function. Defensively, the center of the pack is sweet sufficient. That can take some enchancment from Bryan Nardo’s unit however it’s potential. 

Additionally, low expectations do not harm. Since 2009, Oklahoma State has been picked prime 15 within the preseason AP High 25 six occasions. 5 occasions, the Pokes completed decrease within the closing ballot, together with two unranked finishes. The one exception was in the course of the historic 2011 season. 

Merely put, all of the items are in place for one more Mike Gundy particular, regardless of the shockingly lengthy odds. Then once more, I doubt Oklahoma State is just too apprehensive about getting missed. It is how the Cowboys dwell finest. 

10-win seasons beneath Mike Gundy

 Oklahoma State when preseason ranked