‘I Finish What I Start’: Why Ollie Gordon Isn’t Shutting It Down Despite Rough Season

STILLWATER — Ollie Gordon’s sequel season isn’t going to plan, but the reigning Doak Walker winner isn’t giving up.

Gordon’s Oklahoma State squad fell to 3-5 on Saturday when the Cowboys lost to Baylor in Waco. During what’s now turned into a five-game losing streak for the Cowboys, it’s been suggested on a few occasions (most notably on the TV broadcast of the West Virginia game) that Gordon should shut things down and prepare for his professional career. But Gordon has since come out in OSU’s two most recent games and still played. Here are his thoughts on the idea of shutting things down.

“I finish what I start,” Gordon said. “My momma always told me that you finish what you start. Who would I be to give up on my team because our season is not going how we want it to go?

“So just because our season is not going how it’s supposed to I’m supposed to give up now? That’s really weird, and the way that people can just sit there and say that, it’s crazy. They’re wasting their breath saying it because I’m not giving up on my team.”

Many have suggested Ollie Gordon should shut it down this season.

Here’s why he hasn’t: pic.twitter.com/gJ9d9hObIF

— Marshall Scott (@MarshallScottOK) October 28, 2024

Gordon has ran for 568 yards this season at 4.2 yards a carry. That yardage total ranks ninth in the Big 12 just a season removed from Gordon leading the country in the stat. There hasn’t been a ton of space for Gordon to run, though. According to Pro Football Focus, Gordon has 432 yards after contact — so the majority of his rushing yards.

Things have opened up slightly more for Gordon in recent weeks. From OSU’s win against Tulsa on Sept. 14 through the Cowboys’ loss to West Virginia on Oct. 5, Gordon didn’t score a touchdown. But after four straight games without finding paydirt, Gordon scored thrice against BYU, twice by ground and once by air. He then scored twice more (both rushes) against Baylor this past weekend. The Cowboys’ past two games have also featured his second- and third-best rushing performances of the season in terms of yardage, though he has still eclipsed 100 rushing yards in just two of the Cowboys’ eight games this season.

Teams are selling out to stop Gordon. OSU coach Mike Gundy has at nauseam explained that there are more defenders in the box than OSU can block. And even with the Cowboys being among the worst rushing teams in the Big 12 this season, opposing coaches often point to stopping Gordon being a key to success against OSU.

“It hasn’t really changed my mindset,” said Gordon about teams focusing on him. “The mindset was get the ball, get downhill. And with everybody’s eyes on me, I feel like that opens up a bunch of things for the team. Like I said, you want to focus on the run, we got BP (Brennan Presley) coming right behind that. So then you want to focus on that? We got Rashod (Owens) and Strib (De’Zhaun Stribling) outside. Focus on that, we got Ayo (Shotomide-King) and Talyn (Shettron). Everybody’s just gonna eat. Focus on BP, we got Da’Wain (Lofton). We gotta bunch of weapons on this offense.”

It’s likely that this will be Gordon’s last season in an OSU uniform, as he is draft eligible. Right now, that means he would play four more games as a Cowboy, but if OSU could find a way to win at least three of those, it would extend Gordon’s career and OSU’s bowl streak.

Gordon enters this back stretch of the season 477 rushing yards off Joseph Randle for 10th on OSU’s career rushing list. Despite the struggles this season, his eight rushing touchdowns have pushed him into the program’s top 10 in that stat. Gordon has 31 rushing scores in his career, which is good for ninth between Chuba Hubbard (33) and Justice Hill (30).

Gordon and the Cowboys host Arizona State at 6 p.m. Saturday in Boone Pickens Stadium.