Cox: Three Predictions for the 2024 Oklahoma State Football Season

Football is back and Oklahoma State boasts one of the most buzzworthy teams in the country. The Cowboys return a ton of production from last year, nearly all of their starters and looks poised to plant an orange flag atop the new-look Big 12.

The PFB staff already laid out our predictions for OSU’s record, end-of-year awards and some other big-picture topics, but I’ve got three more predictions for the Cowboys in 2024.

1. Ollie Gordon’s Carries Go Up

As much as Mike Gundy likes to throw around the 30 carries per game language when referring to last year, Gordon averaged just over 20 per outing, and I think he exceeds that in 2024.

It’s a bit of a misnomer because the nation’s leading rusher was barely even OSU’s leading rusher through the first three weeks last year before the Cowboys settled into their starters and the rest was history. But he still cracked only 30 handoffs twice (33 against Oklahoma and 34 against BYU). While I believe OSU will try to spread it around between Sesi Vailahi and Trent Howland, as Gundy has implied, this is a big year for OSU, likely its last with a guy like Gordon, and I still think Gordon exceeds his 20 carries per game.

With all the returning seniors and the championship window seemingly as open as it will be in the foreseeable future, the Pokes are all-in. While limiting the carries of your workhorse is a great notion, it will be hard to park No. 0 on the bench for too long once they find themselves in a close one in the second half. He’s just that important to OSU’s success. Hopefully, with a quicker start than last year, the Cowboys can afford to save Gordon’s legs early, because they’ll need him in October and November.

2. Brennan Presley Makes All-Big 12 First Team

Last year at this time, I was predicting that two (!) OSU receivers would eclipse 1,000 yards, but we’re going on three years now without that happening. Brennan Presley was this close, coming in nine yards shy in 14 games last year. I think he gets it done this year and I think it helps earn him first-team All-Big 12 honors.

Presley has long been one of the most dynamic players in the Big 12 and he’s the league’s leading returning receiver, despite playing on the inside. Now with the quarterback situation solidified and Rashod Owens and a now-healthy De’Zhaun Stribling on the outside to spread defenses out, it should provide more space for one of OSU’s most electrifying playmakers.

3. The Cowboys Will Be Ready for Week 1

There was plenty of blame to go around for the way the Cowboys stumbled out of the tunnel last September, including some head-scratching QB and RB rotations. But it’s important to remember just how much turnover the roster was going through leading into 2023. That being said, there are no more excuses in 2024.

OSU has the most experienced QB, the best running back, a more than capable receiving corps and one of the deepest and most experienced offensive lines in the country. If the Cowboys’ defense — which also returns 10 starters — has tightened things up after the second offseason in Bryan Nardo’s system, there is no reason not to expect a well-oiled machine on Saturday.

Yes, this not your typical FCS opponent, but fans should not expect your typical OSU team based on all the above variables. And with the perfect storm of Covid eligibility and 20 returning starters, there may never be as experienced a team hit Lewis Field in Week 1 as the one we see this weekend. The Cowboys better take advantage of it, and I think they will.