Is This 2025 Season The Worst in Oklahoma State Football History?

Oklahoma State players wait to take the field during a college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) and the Houston Cougars at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. Houston won 39-17.
Oklahoma State players wait to take the field during a college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) and the Houston Cougars at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. Houston won 39-17. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma State football is no stranger to tough seasons but the 2025 campaign is quickly becoming something much more grim. At 1-5 overall and 0-3 in Big 12 play, the Cowboys aren’t just underperforming, they’re unraveling before our eyes. And with each passing week, the argument grows stronger: This might go down as one of the worst seasons in OSU football history.

It all began with a shaky Week 1 showing against FCS opponent UT Martin. While the Cowboys technically got the win, the 27-7 final was anything but impressive. Any hope that it was just early-season rust quickly vanished the following week, when Oklahoma State was obliterated 69-3 by Oregon. That game made headlines not just for the scoreboard, but for the drama leading up to it—when then-head coach Mike Gundy stirred controversy by blaming Oregon's success on having "too much NIL money."

What followed was a stunning collapse, both on and off the field. In Week 3, OSU suffered an embarrassing loss to in-state foe Tulsa, a team they had beaten 10 straight times, and one that hadn’t won in Stillwater in 27 years. That defeat proved to be the final straw for Gundy, who was fired shortly after. Not long after, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was also let go.

The chaos didn’t stop there. The mid-season coaching changes triggered the NCAA transfer portal to open for OSU players, and many didn’t hesitate to leave. As if the on-field product wasn’t bad enough, the program also saw a wave of high school decommitments, signaling that the damage extended well into the future.

With the team sitting at 1-5 and no clearly winnable games left on the schedule, a 1-11 finish is a very real possibility.

Does That Make This the Worst Season Ever?

Technically, no—at least not by win percentage. Oklahoma State has had five winless seasons in its history, with the most recent being a brutal 0-10-1 campaign back in 1991. But context matters. Unlike some of those early years, modern Oklahoma State has been a staple in Big 12 contention. This is a program that was playing for conference titles not too long ago.

That’s what makes this collapse so jarring.

In recent years, the Cowboys had built a reputation for being tough, gritty, and competitive even in down seasons. Last year, warning signs began to surface, but this season has taken the decline to an entirely new level. From the scoreboard to the sidelines to the recruiting trail, everything seems to be going wrong in Stillwater.

So while it might not be statistically the worst season in OSU history, it’s certainly one of the most disastrous in terms of expectations, culture, and long-term impact.

What Comes Next?

With a roster gutted by transfers, recruits backing off commitments, and an interim coaching staff trying to hold things together, there are more questions than answers. Who will lead this team moving forward? How long will it take to rebuild the trust of fans, recruits, and alumni? And perhaps most importantly: Can Oklahoma State recover before it fades completely from the Big 12 picture?

One thing is clear: if the Cowboys do finish 1-11, this season will be remembered not just for the losses, but for the stunning fall from relevance. And that, more than win percentage, is why this may very well go down as the worst season in Oklahoma State football history.

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