Instant Recap: Oklahoma State Handles South Dakota State 44-20 to Start 2024 Season

The fact Oklahoma State returned so much from last year’s 10-3 team bolstered the anticipation for 2024 all offseason. And Week 1 of the new season proved that, indeed, not much has changed in Stillwater. 

The Cowboys concluded an offseason of hype with a 44-20 win against reigning two-time FCS champion South Dakota State in their season opener on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium. Every player to score a touchdown for OSU in the opener was also part of the program last season. That’s a rarity in today’s college football.

The familiarity was evident from the get-go. After Logan Ward made a 42-yard field goal for OSU’s first points of 2024, Korie Black ended the Jackrabbits’ next drive with an interception on SDSU’s 47-yard line. Black, a senior, started 13 games last season. 

Beginning their second possession inside SDSU territory, the Cowboys ended the drive in the end zone thanks to a combo with 13 years of college football experience between the two. Seventh-year quarterback Alan Bowman darted a short pass to sixth-year receiver Brennan Presley, who took it in for a six-yard score to put OSU up 10-0, a lead the Cowboys held through the first quarter. 

Who else but BP?! 🤠

TD #⃣1⃣ on the season pic.twitter.com/2SEbodmGgi

— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) August 31, 2024

The Jackrabbits finally put points on the board early in the second quarter with a field goal. The Cowboys immediately answered with a touchdown, though, from the most familiar of names. As he did 21 times in 2023, OSU running back Ollie Gordon got into the end zone on a 12-yard run, extending the score to 17-3. 

Tell us if you’ve heard this before…Ollie in the end zone 😤 pic.twitter.com/u5SvzKKOHb

— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) August 31, 2024

In his first chance to defend his reign as the Doak Walker Award winner, Gordon finished with 104 yards on 27 rushes. He also added four catches for 42 yards. His second touchdown was accomplished as a pass catcher, as he took a swing pass 22 yards before diving into the end zone, extending OSU’s lead to 24-6 early in the second half.

After review… Ollie Gordon II is, in fact, him 😤

Gordon’s second score of the afternoon adds onto the @CowboyFB lead.#Big12FB | 📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/cWNxjLEulP

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) August 31, 2024

Gordon’s third trip to the end zone seemed to have officially sealed the deal for the Pokes, as his short TD put OSU up 38-13 nearing the fourth quarter. That touchdown came in the midst of a scoring frenzy. The drive before Gordon’s third touchdown, Bowman connected with Rashod Owens for a 58-yard score.

.@luxury_owens12 first TD of the season is a 58-yard bomb from @alanbowman_ 😤 pic.twitter.com/ITjum2LMRO

— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) August 31, 2024

The Jackrabbits, riding a 29-game winning streak, never gave up fight, though, especially in the fourth quarter. They held OSU to a field goal to start the frame before scoring on a 60-yard pass from Mark Gronowski to Griffin Wilde to make the count 41-20 before forcing OSU to punt on the its next three possessions. SDSU didn’t do anything with those three stops, though.

The Cowboys got back into the score column after starting a drive on SDSU’s 15 after Nick Martin notched a sack on fourth down. OSU still didn’t really go anywhere but was already close enough for Ward to make his third field goal of the day after entering the game with zero.

Even outside of familiar faces scoring points, the benefits of experience were obvious everywhere for the Cowboys, as the offensive line didn’t allow a sack and OSU didn’t turn the ball over.

From an FCS opponent to the most daunting conference in college football, OSU will host SEC foe Arkansas next at 11 a.m. Saturday on ABC.