Gregory: Three Predictions for the 2024 Oklahoma State Football Season

The PFB staff already made predictions for Oklahoma State’s season, including record, MVPs, Big 12 champions and more, but that just wasn’t enough for us. Now, we all have three more bonus predictions for what we think will unfold in 2024.

Kyle revealed his on Tuesday, so now I’m up.

1. Alan Bowman Will Be Considered a Top 5 OSU Quarterback

Let’s start bold.

I already predicted the Cowboys to go 11-1, win the Big 12 title and make the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history. Before you scoff at the idea of Bowman going down in history, don’t you think the guy who leads the Pokes to all that will go down as all-time great?

Brandon Weeden is considered by many the best QB in OSU history. The main reason is because of the success his team had in 2011. If this season goes as predicted for the Cowboys, then Bowman’s squad will accomplish even more than that 2011 team, which is honestly hard to fathom. But, Dekota, Bowman has a great O-line and Ollie Gordon to hand the ball off to. Well, Weeden was throwing the ball to Justin Blackmon. Let’s not knock a guy for being surrounded by talent to rely on.

Statistically, though, Marshall and I agree that Mason Rudolph is the greatest Cowboy QB. As a senior, Rudolph threw for just over 350 yards a game — the best season an OSU QB has ever had statistically. Bowman last season, after taking over as QB1 Week 4, averaged about 293 passing yards. That number should drastically increase this year with Bowman starting the season as the guy and having even more weapons to throw to.

Bowman also joins Weeden and Rudolph in an exclusive club of one of only four QBs to win Bedlam under Mike Gundy. The other is Spencer Sanders. Bowman, though, did it in his only try, throwing for 334 yards.

But even after those comparisons, I still don’t foresee Bowman surpassing Weeden and Rudolph in OSU lure. The point is that he could be up there, though. And if the Pokes accomplish what I think they will in 2024, then give me Bowman over the likes of Sanders, Zac Robinson, Mike Gundy and whoever else you want to include in the conversation behind Weeden and Rudolph.

2. The Cowboys Will Have a Pair of 1,000-yard Receivers

Obviously if I think the guy throwing the ball around will have a stellar season, then I believe the ones catching his passes will, too.

I alluded to this in our staff predictions, but I projected De’Zhaun Stribling to be the Cowboys’ leading receiver. But in the same breath I also said that Brennan Presley would finally get his 1,000-yard season. And that doesn’t include Rashod Owens, who also has the ability to reach that mark.

OSU’s passing attack was abysmal to start last season while having a three-QB rotation and averaging 203 passing yards against its worst competition the first three games. Once Bowman took over, the average was up to 293. That’s, figuratively, 270 yards left on the table the first three games. That’s nearly a games-worth of yardage.

Even after that poor start, OSU still had two receivers nearing the 1,000-yard mark. Presley was only nine yards short at 991. Owens, though tallying only 17 receiving yards total the first three games, posted 895. A decent start to the season, and the Cowboys probably get two 1,000-yard receivers last year.

But this season, OSU should start out strong and shouldn’t need three weeks to get going. And even if the passing attack is only a tick better, that’s all it’ll take for two Cowboys to rack up 1,000 receiving yards.

3. Ollie Goes to New York City

Now to the running game.

Ollie Gordon emerged as the best running back in the country last season and won the Doak Walker Award, even after not being OSU’s featured back until Week 4. He also finished higher than any other running back in Heisman voting, but even that wasn’t enough to make Gordon a finalist and get him to New York City.

But, whether they should or not, hype and past career achievements mean something in Heisman voting. Gordon has plenty of both now heading into 2024. This season, it won’t take five or six weeks for the rest of the country to even learn of Gordon’s existence. And OSU will have to rely on Gordon to succeed so that hype should stay steady, if not grow.

At the end of the day, though, the Heisman has become a quarterback award. Because of that, I don’t believe Gordon will become OSU’s second winner of the prestigious award, but I do believe he’ll get enough recognition to get a trip to NYC as a finalist.

And a bonus prediction, Gordon will add another element to his game this season and line up behind center in a wildcat formation. He’ll also get a Bedlam redemption and complete at least one pass this year.