Grades: Oklahoma State Fails for Fifth Game in a Row

I’m out of words to describe how bad things are at Oklahoma State right now.

The Cowboys dropped a fifth straight Saturday to Baylor, 38-28, and are still winless in Big 12 play. Here are my grades from the same stuff that keeps happening for Mike Gundy’s team.

Offense: C-

The offense is not the reason OSU lost to Baylor, but outside of Brennan Presley’s heroics, it certainly didn’t help much.

The Cowboys continue to be dreadful on the ground despite having the reigning Doak Walker winner in the backfield. OSU posted only 74 rushing yards, averaging 2.2 a carry. Those numbers do look worse because of Alan Bowman’s negative-38 rushing yards, but that’s in large part because of three sacks. Baylor also got to an OSU ballcarrier nine other times behind the line of scrimmage.

This unit also gave up the ball twice — an Ollie Gordon fumble near the goal line and a Bowman interception in the Cowboys’ last chance at coming back.

Defense: F

There is no chance of OSU winning another football game with a defense playing like this. It is the worst grade on a report card that should never make it home to a parent.

The offense should have notched a game-winning drive last week, but then the defense squandered it instead. That same unit failed its team again Saturday. The Cowboys got back within three points with 4:51 left. But just four plays later, OSU defenders smothered Baylor running back Dawson Pendergrass, only to then let him loose for a 55-yard TD.

What if I told you Dawson Pendergrass scored on this play?#SCTop10 | 📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/opT34vhkXx

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 26, 2024

The Cowboys gave up 565 total yards — 343 rushing and 222 passing. The Bears averaged 9.7 yards a play against them. That means Baylor got a first down almost every time it said hike. OSU got to the quarterback for a sack only once but did manage to pull in an interception in the first quarter.

The stats are abysmal. And so is the play.

Special Teams: B

This unit continues to be average for the Cowboys. But they’ll definitely take that over bad.

Logan Ward made a 45- and 26-yarder. OSU’s punting duo averaged 43.6 yards a punt and pinned Baylor inside the 20 once. Kyler Pearson’s 31-yard return was the longest of the day.

Bowl Chances: D

That D is for doubtful. OSU’s bowl chances seemed to be in danger last season, too, but that was Week 4 before the Pokes rattled off five wins in a row and wound up at 10-4. Now, Week 9 has passed and the Cowboys have only four games left to turn things around. At 3-5, OSU would have to notch wins in three of those four to reach the six-win bowl eligibility mark. And the Cowboys likely won’t be favored in any of them.

The Pokes have earned a bowl berth 19 seasons in a row under Gundy, but reaching 20 looks doubtful.