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The Utah debacle was followed by the Kansas State debacle, and then it all somehow got worse with Saturday’s West Virginia disaster – a 38-14 Big 12 home loss to the Mountaineers.
This game was such a soul-crushing mismatch that many within the Boone Pickens Stadium sellout crowd were gone before halftime and only a loyal-and-true few remained in the ballpark to witness the sad finish.
The real final score here was 389-36 – West Virginia’s shocking advantage in rushing yards.
As recently as the morning of Sept. 21 – before that afternoon’s Big 12 opener against Utah – Oklahoma State was unbeaten and ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press poll. OSU now is 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the Big 12 with a team that seems broken in every sense.
After the 42-20 outcome at K-State, I wrote that the Oklahoma State program is stuck in a period of staleness. Several OSU acquaintances messaged with their challenges of that opinion, but who would argue that the program is healthy and performing at the standard set since 2008?
From the start of the 2020 season and through the midway mark of the 2022 season, the Oklahoma State program was 25-5. In 11 of those games, OSU was ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll.
In 28 games since the midway mark of the 2022 season, the OSU program is 15-13 with losses of 48, 21, 26, 42, 28, 22 and 24 points.
This 0-3 start in conference play is a deafening signal that Mike Gundy has to make sweeping, dramatic changes within his coaching staff and his roster.
When Oklahoma State was so offensively inept during the final month of the 2009 season, it was obvious that changes were necessary. Gundy had been the offensive play-caller for two seasons. He relinquished that role and hired Dana Holgorsen to coordinate the offense. Holgorsen’s arrival coincided with Brandon Weeden’s rise to No. 1 on the quarterback depth chart, and the results were brilliant.
Every ticket for every 2024 OSU home game was sold before the start of the season. Now, the Cowboys twice have been schooled on their home field.
Not by OU and Texas.
By Utah and West Virginia.
When Oklahoma State defeated OU last year – in the final Bedlam battle that would match the Cowboys and Sooners as conference rivals – Boone Pickens Stadium was the scene of more unbridled joy than I’ve seen in any venue at any level of sports. OSU fans danced on the Bedlam turf and ripped down the east-end goal post.
On Saturday, as West Virginia had 558 total yards to OSU’s 227, and as the Cowboys averaged 1.7 yards per rush attempt, those same fans were booing.
Oh, and there was this: Officially, West Virginia did not punt the football on Saturday. There was one punt Mountaineer punt at the 3:53 mark of the fourth period, but OSU was flagged for a running-into-the-kicker infraction. West Virginia was given a fresh set of downs.
Bad football is bad for business overall, and Oklahoma State must have successful football to sustain its athletics operation. That’s the bottom-line aspect of college sports, and that’s the reason Gundy will have to make major changes after the season.
During the 2025 campaign to sell football tickets, it would be tough to sell a status-quo situation to OSU alumni and fans.
The Cowboys are idle next weekend and play a Friday night game at BYU on Oct. 18. Based on what I’ve seen over the last three Saturdays, I’m expecting a terrible Friday at BYU.
If Gundy and his assistants can find answers to their run-blocking and run-defense problems during this upcoming week of extra practice, it would be a miracle.
It’s time to accept that this Cowboy team just isn’t very good. Quarterback play is sub-standard. Lately, everything is sub-standard.
The grim reality: OSU may be careening in the direction of its first losing season since Gundy’s debut season in 2005.
Think about that.
In 2005, the iPhone wasn’t even a thing in 2005. It didn’t exist until 2007.
In 2005, Eddie Sutton coached the basketball Cowboys.
In 2005, Oklahoma City did have an NBA team but it wasn’t the Thunder.
It was the Hornets, with Chris Paul as the Rookie of the Year point guard. Paul today is a 39-year-old member of the San Antonio Spurs.
Bill Haisten: Three-game damage report indicates Mike Gundy has to make changes
- Oct 6, 2024 Updated 7 hrs ago
The Utah debacle was followed by the Kansas State debacle, and then it all somehow got worse with Saturday’s West Virginia disaster – a 38-14 Big 12 home loss to the Mountaineers.
This game was such a soul-crushing mismatch that many within the Boone Pickens Stadium sellout crowd were gone before halftime and only a loyal-and-true few remained in the ballpark to witness the sad finish.
The real final score here was 389-36 – West Virginia’s shocking advantage in rushing yards.
As recently as the morning of Sept. 21 – before that afternoon’s Big 12 opener against Utah – Oklahoma State was unbeaten and ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press poll. OSU now is 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the Big 12 with a team that seems broken in every sense.
After the 42-20 outcome at K-State, I wrote that the Oklahoma State program is stuck in a period of staleness. Several OSU acquaintances messaged with their challenges of that opinion, but who would argue that the program is healthy and performing at the standard set since 2008?
From the start of the 2020 season and through the midway mark of the 2022 season, the Oklahoma State program was 25-5. In 11 of those games, OSU was ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll.
In 28 games since the midway mark of the 2022 season, the OSU program is 15-13 with losses of 48, 21, 26, 42, 28, 22 and 24 points.
This 0-3 start in conference play is a deafening signal that Mike Gundy has to make sweeping, dramatic changes within his coaching staff and his roster.
When Oklahoma State was so offensively inept during the final month of the 2009 season, it was obvious that changes were necessary. Gundy had been the offensive play-caller for two seasons. He relinquished that role and hired Dana Holgorsen to coordinate the offense. Holgorsen’s arrival coincided with Brandon Weeden’s rise to No. 1 on the quarterback depth chart, and the results were brilliant.
Every ticket for every 2024 OSU home game was sold before the start of the season. Now, the Cowboys twice have been schooled on their home field.
Not by OU and Texas.
By Utah and West Virginia.
When Oklahoma State defeated OU last year – in the final Bedlam battle that would match the Cowboys and Sooners as conference rivals – Boone Pickens Stadium was the scene of more unbridled joy than I’ve seen in any venue at any level of sports. OSU fans danced on the Bedlam turf and ripped down the east-end goal post.
On Saturday, as West Virginia had 558 total yards to OSU’s 227, and as the Cowboys averaged 1.7 yards per rush attempt, those same fans were booing.
Oh, and there was this: Officially, West Virginia did not punt the football on Saturday. There was one punt Mountaineer punt at the 3:53 mark of the fourth period, but OSU was flagged for a running-into-the-kicker infraction. West Virginia was given a fresh set of downs.
Bad football is bad for business overall, and Oklahoma State must have successful football to sustain its athletics operation. That’s the bottom-line aspect of college sports, and that’s the reason Gundy will have to make major changes after the season.
During the 2025 campaign to sell football tickets, it would be tough to sell a status-quo situation to OSU alumni and fans.
The Cowboys are idle next weekend and play a Friday night game at BYU on Oct. 18. Based on what I’ve seen over the last three Saturdays, I’m expecting a terrible Friday at BYU.
If Gundy and his assistants can find answers to their run-blocking and run-defense problems during this upcoming week of extra practice, it would be a miracle.
It’s time to accept that this Cowboy team just isn’t very good. Quarterback play is sub-standard. Lately, everything is sub-standard.
The grim reality: OSU may be careening in the direction of its first losing season since Gundy’s debut season in 2005.
Think about that.
In 2005, the iPhone wasn’t even a thing in 2005. It didn’t exist until 2007.
In 2005, Eddie Sutton coached the basketball Cowboys.
In 2005, Oklahoma City did have an NBA team but it wasn’t the Thunder.
It was the Hornets, with Chris Paul as the Rookie of the Year point guard. Paul today is a 39-year-old member of the San Antonio Spurs.
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