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

However in 2024, the shortage of consideration is head-scratching. Oklahoma State has the seventh-best odds to win the Large 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 staff. Paradoxically, the one Knights win towards a legacy Energy 5 staff got here towards OSU. 

Granted, Oklahoma State was certainly not dominant throughout its run to the Large 12 title sport. 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 much 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 school soccer with playmakers at virtually each stage. Defensive lineman Collin Oliver is a possible first-round draft decide to guide the unit. Quarterback Alan Bowman was in a position to wrangle yet one more 12 months of eligibility in 2024. The Pokes reached Large 12 competition solely as soon as Bowman absolutely took over underneath heart. 

Whereas returning manufacturing isn’t any assure of success, it does set a baseline. Final season, Florida State, Kansas and Michigan had 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 a minimum of a decade. 

By the way in which, the best stumbling block is gone. Gundy misplaced 15 video games towards 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 mentioned, a non-Oklahoma staff has ridden close-game luck to the Large 12 title sport 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 sport to lacking a bowl sport. One 12 months earlier, Baylor went from a Sugar Bowl victory to a dropping document. Iowa State additionally fell from an everyday season first-place Large 12 end in 2020 to a disappointing 7-6 marketing campaign. 

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

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

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

10-win seasons underneath Mike Gundy

 Oklahoma State when preseason ranked