Our five boldest Oklahoma State football predictions for 2024 season
Joe MussattoThe Oklahoman
Oklahoma State will play for the Big 12 Championship.
This time last year, that would’ve been a bold prediction. This season? Not so bold.
OSU, unlike last season, has an established quarterback. The Cowboys know they have a superstar at running back. And they have a slew of returning starters on both sides of the ball.
So what can we expect from Mike Gundy’s squad in 2024? Here are five bold predictions:
1. OSU will go 6-0 at home, with the Cowboys’ narrowest margin of victory coming against South Dakota State
We’re all looking ahead to Sept. 21, when OSU hosts Big 12-favorite Utah.And while Utah is the best team OSU will face in Stillwater this season, the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State will play the Cowboys closest.
Arkansas, West Virginia, Arizona State and Texas Tech are OSU’s other home opponents. Are we sure any of those squads are better than South Dakota State?
South Dakota State, the back-to-back defending FCS national champions, is riding a 29-game winning streak.
OSU will survive the Jackrabbits. Just barely.
2. OSU at Kansas State will be a top-10 showdown
Book it.Sept. 28 in Manhattan: the 4-0 Cowboys against the 4-0 Wildcats.
OSU will be coming off a win against Utah, and Kansas State will have a win against Arizona on its resume. Those marquee victories will have OSU and K-State in the top-10 of the polls by the time they square off.
Kansas State will hand OSU its first loss.
3. Ollie Gordon II will rush for 2,000 yards
College football hasn’t had a 2,000-yard rusher since 2019, when another Cowboy, Chuba Hubbard, led the nation with 2,094 rushing yards.There were three more 2,000-yard rushers in that 2019 season: Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry, Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins and Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor.
Gordon rushed for a nation-high 1,732 yards last season. He likely would’ve eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark had he not been limited to 19 combined rushing attempts in his first three games.
4. OSU’s offensive line will win the Joe Moore Award
Gordon won’t be a Heisman finalist despite his big season, but the Cowboys’ veteran offensive line will be honored with the Joe Moore Award — given to the best offensive line in college football.OSU’s starting O-Line has a combined 30 years of experience. Seriously. The five projected starters are all sixth-year seniors.
Grown men against college kids isn’t a fair fight.
5. OSU and Kansas State will meet again in the Big 12 Championship Game
OSU will go 7-2 in conference play, winning a tiebreaker over Utah to go to the Big 12 Championship Game for a rematch with the Wildcats.Kansas State will beat OSU again.
K-State will be the Big 12’s lone representative in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
OSU will play old friend Lincoln Riley and USC in the Alamo Bowl.
