It’s been nearly three decades since Oklahoma State last lost to in-state rival Tulsa. That was in 1998, when Bill Clinton was in office and the Cowboys were still finding their identity under Bob Simmons. Even more telling: OSU hasn’t lost at home to Tulsa since 1951. Seventy-four years. That’s not a stat, it’s a wall. A program-defining marker of superiority.
But that wall is starting to crack. And if Oklahoma State drops this game, especially to a Tulsa team playing its backup quarterback, it would mark a stunning and historic low point for a football program that, just two years ago, was playing in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Let that sink in.
This was a program that once prided itself on consistency, toughness, and postseason relevance. But those days feel distant now. Instead, the Cowboys look disconnected, uninspired, and directionless—and it starts at the top. Head coach Mike Gundy, once the pride of Stillwater, now sits on what might be the hottest seat in the country. His team is treading water in a conference that is evolving rapidly around them, and the wheels appear to be falling off.
Against Tulsa, it’s not just about wins and losses, it’s about identity. This isn’t just another non-conference game. It’s a measuring stick, a legacy test, and potentially a final straw. Lose this game, and the optics are brutal: a historically dominant Power 4 program, getting outplayed at home by a Group of Five team led by a backup quarterback? That’s a program in freefall.
What’s worse is that the signs have been there for weeks. Players look checked out, effort is inconsistent, and communication on both sides of the ball is breaking down. Against Oregon, the defense gave up 66 points in an outright embarrassment. Against Tulsa, the defense once again looks slow and disorganized, while the offense sputters with no rhythm or urgency.
There’s no way to spin this: Oklahoma State football is broken right now.
Whether it's coaching complacency, poor recruiting, ineffective scheme design, or simply a culture that’s gone stale, something has to give. This team doesn’t just need tweaks—it needs a total reset. A fresh start. New ideas, new energy, and new leadership across the board. Because what worked five or ten years ago no longer cuts it in today’s college football landscape.
The Big 12 is changing for the good, getting more competitive. The national picture is changing. And Oklahoma State is falling behind at an alarming rate that not many would’ve guessed just a few years ago.
If Gundy can’t turn things around immediately, and at this point, it feels like the locker room has already lost faith, then the university must act quickly. Delaying change could set the program back years. Making a bold move now could give Oklahoma State a much-needed jumpstart and a chance to reshape its identity before it fades any further.
A loss to Tulsa would be more than just a blemish. It would be a flashing red warning sign that the era of Oklahoma State football as we know it is over—and that the program needs to start writing its next chapter before the past becomes its only selling point.