The Mike Gundy era at Oklahoma State has been one of the most transformative runs in program history. For nearly two decades, Gundy delivered consistent winning football in Stillwater — 18 straight bowl appearances, double-digit win seasons, and even a Big 12 championship. But the shine that once made him the pride of his alma mater is wearing off, replaced by questions about his ability to steer the program forward.
Last Saturday in Eugene, those questions turned into flashing red alarms. Oregon demolished Oklahoma State 69-3, a defeat so lopsided that you have to go back to 1907 — before Oklahoma even achieved statehood — to find a comparable loss. The Ducks piled up 38 points before halftime, the Cowboys looked completely overwhelmed on both sides of the ball, and Mike Gundy walked off the field responsible for the program’s worst loss in more than a century.
The problem isn’t just that Oklahoma State lost. It’s that the Cowboys looked disorganized, uninspired, and flat-out unprepared. That combination isn’t new. Since the start of last season, OSU is just 2-10 against FBS competition. For a program that used to be defined by resilience, these Cowboys look adrift. And the responsibility for fixing it rests on Gundy and his staff — a staff he himself overhauled this past offseason.
A Legacy on the Line
No one can dispute what Gundy has meant to Oklahoma State. He is, in every sense, Mr. Cowboy Football. From his time as a record-setting quarterback in the 1980s to his decades as an assistant and eventually head coach, he has devoted more than 35 years of his life to the program. He is OSU’s winningest coach, the man who raised expectations in Stillwater from “occasional bowl team” to “perennial contender.”
But legacies don’t win football games, and the recent results are undeniable. A 3-9 finish in 2024 ended the program’s historic streak of winning seasons. The humiliating loss to Oregon in Week 2 this year only confirmed what many already suspected — Oklahoma State is no longer competitive at the level its fans have come to expect.
After Saturday, Gundy admitted his team’s schemes had grown unnecessarily complicated.
“It’ll be good for us now to get back to basic football and reprogram these guys,” Gundy said. “I’m just convinced that we tried to do too much, tried to do so much to give ourselves a chance to win the game that it pushed us into not being able to execute.”
In other words, the Cowboys didn’t just lose because of a talent gap. They lost because they were out-schemed and overwhelmed. That’s a damning indictment of a coaching staff that promised to simplify and reset after last year’s failures.
The Quarterback Answered, but the Backfield Hasn’t
The most glaring personnel issue at the moment is in the backfield. True freshman Zane Flores was thrust into the spotlight as the starting quarterback, and while his debut at Oregon was rocky — capped by consecutive pick-sixes in the third quarter — at least OSU knows who its QB1 is. Flores will take his lumps, but the future of the program rests on his shoulders, until Hauss Hejny comes back, and the coaching staff seems committed to letting him grow.
The same cannot be said at running back.
Through two weeks, the Cowboys have refused to name a lead option, instead listing five players with an “or” designation on the depth chart. Kalib Hicks, Freddie Brock V, Rodney Fields Jr., Trent Howland, and Sesi Vailahi have all been given chances, but no hierarchy has been established.
Statistically, Hicks has carried the biggest load, with 35 carries at just 3.4 yards per attempt. Howland, in limited work, has shown flashes of power at 5.2 yards per carry, while Vailahi sits at 3.6. Fields may possess the highest upside of the group, and Brock has experience as a lead back. But without clarity, OSU risks falling into a cycle of indecision that prevents any of them from finding rhythm or confidence.
This can’t continue. Making the wrong choice might be better than making no choice at all. If Oklahoma State is serious about salvaging the season, it must use its bye week to settle on a primary back and build an identity around him.
The Coordinators Under Pressure
Gundy overhauled his staff this offseason, bringing in Doug Meacham as offensive coordinator and Todd Grantham as defensive coordinator. Both have strong résumés, but neither has delivered in Stillwater yet. Against Oregon, their units looked both overcomplicated and underprepared.
“Simplify, simplify,” should be the mantra going forward.
If the Cowboys can’t establish a straightforward identity — a power run game behind Howland, explosive potential with Fields, or consistency with Hicks — the offense risks becoming a revolving door of half-measures.
Defensively, things were no better. Kale Smith was repeatedly targeted in coverage, giving up 97 yards and two scores. The secondary as a whole looked lost against Oregon’s speed, while the front seven struggled to contain the Ducks’ ground attack.
An Opportunity — and a Warning
The bye week comes at a critical time. With Tulsa visiting Boone Pickens Stadium on Sept. 19, Oklahoma State has a chance to hit reset against a manageable opponent. The Golden Hurricane don’t present the same physical challenges as Oregon, but they do represent a must-win. If OSU stumbles at home against an in-state Group of Five rival, the noise surrounding Gundy’s future could become deafening.
It has been over 370 days since Oklahoma State last beat an FBS opponent. That statistic alone illustrates just how steep the decline has been. The Cowboys’ faithful, who once took pride in pushing Oklahoma and Texas as Big 12 contenders, are left wondering how long the program can drift before permanent damage is done.
The Hot Seat Heats Up
After last season’s collapse, Gundy agreed to a restructured contract that included a salary reduction and a firm end date of 2028. That deal made one thing clear: the days of Gundy being untouchable in Stillwater are over. The administration has already prepared for the possibility of change.
Gundy’s defenders argue that he has earned patience after so many successful years. His critics counter that waiting too long could undo everything he built. Both sides are right, which makes this the most pivotal stretch of his tenure.
If Oklahoma State can’t establish a clear identity, resolve its position battles, and begin competing in the Big 12 again, then the Gundy era may end not with a grand send-off, but with a painful decline.
Oklahoma State football is at a crossroads. Gundy has spent a lifetime building the program into a respected national name, but recent results have made his leadership look more like a liability than an asset. The lingering indecision at running back, the overcomplicated schemes, and the historic losses point to a team — and a coach — that has lost its way.
The solution isn’t easy, but it is simple: pick a running back, simplify the schemes, and give Flores a chance to grow. Otherwise, Oklahoma State risks watching the legacy of its greatest coach dissolve into frustration and irrelevance.
For Gundy and the Cowboys, the future starts now.
Matt Hofeld is a college football analyst and contributor covering the Big 12. Follow him for more Oklahoma State and conference-wide analysis throughout the 2025 season.
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