Mike Gundy and the Oklahoma State Cowboys probably didn’t want to start off the season with an underwhelming offensive showing. The Cowboys probably hoped to be able to get through the first game of the season without one of their quarterbacks getting sidelined with an injury. This is probably an opponent that Oklahoma State saw itself beating in pretty noteworthy fashion.
And yet. Things that were underwhelming happened. The Cowboys did not play well against UT Martin. And by the time the game wrapped up, Gundy and Oklahoma State managed to get a 27-7 win over the Skyhawks.
That’s okay, I guess. But it’s not exactly good.
What happened in this Oklahoma State game?
Bad things. A quarterback injury that sidelined Hauss Hejny for a while. Underwhelming offensive showing. A couple of sacks against Oklahoma State quarterback Zane Flores. Really underwhelming attempts at running the ball against an FCS team that just isn’t all that impressive in terms of talent compared to what Oklahoma State will face.
I mean, the Cowboys averaged a grand total of THREE yards per carry in this game. That’s not ideal. Not at all.
Why does this Oklahoma State game matter to the Big 12?
It doesn’t in many ways. But, it’s worth watching the situation in Stillwater because you never know what will end up happening with Mike Gundy. Given the pressure he seems to be facing and the way fans are fatigued and the way they haven’t been winning at a high level in recent years, they’ll need to do something if Gundy can’t win.
And if Gundy gets fired, then the Big 12 ends up losing one of the most iconic and successful (and also very odd) head coaches in the conference. It’d be weird to imagine this league without Mike Gundy. But if the Cowboys play like this against conference opponents, then they’ll lose a few more games than fans will be happy with.
When will Texas Tech play Oklahoma State?
It’s definitely a good idea for Red Raider fans to keep an eye on what’s happening in Stillwater this season. Because Mike Gundy is on the hot seat and because we don’t know what the future of that program looks like, it’ll be worth keeping tabs on.
And also because the Red Raiders will welcome the Oklahoma State Cowboys to Lubbock on October 25. We’ll get to see that team up close and personal sooner rather than later. And honestly, I have no clue if Gundy will still be coaching there at that time. It really seems like he’s under a fair bit of pressure up there.