How Oklahoma State Has Fared in Season-Openers Under Mike Gundy

With the first game of 2017 right around the corner, we thought it might be fun to look back at season opening games in Oklahoma State’s recent history. Of Mike Gundy’s 50 career losses since taking over the OSU program in 2005, only two have come in season-openers.

The Cowboys have taken part in some memorable games to kick off the season through the years — winning against Georgia in 2009, and the Savannah State murder (we shall not speak of) in 2012 come to mind, among many others — but only Georgia in 2007 and Florida State in 2014 have bested the Pokes in those games during Gundy’s 12 completed seasons and counting.

Here’s a look at how the Gundy-led Cowboys have fared in season-openers through the years.

As you can tell by a glance back through time, OSU boasts a 10-2 record in season-openers during Gundy’s tenure. That’s nothing to scoff at. By basically any measure, a 10-2 season would be considered a successful one. So notching that mark against teams like Mississippi State, Washington State and Georgia is something Gundy can hang his hat on. And even more notable: none of those losses have come in a home environment.

When Tulsa comes to Stillwater on Aug. 31 to kick off the 2017 football season on a Thursday night, OSU will have one of its toughest tests to open the season Gundy has had since taking over in 2005. The Golden Hurricane have a rockstar coach in Philip Montgomery and a team coming off a 10-3 season in 2016. (A team that walloped Central Michigan last season, too…)

What TU doesn’t have, though, is its starting quarterback from a season ago in Dane Evans. And by all accounts, the youngsters vying for the gig have yet to separate themselves in the race as the season approaches. That should (and will) be a big factor in the grand scheme of things when the Cowboys open their season in less than two weeks.