No more hypotheticals. Oklahoma State lost to Tulsa.
Not in 1998. In 2025. In Stillwater.
For the first time in 27 years, the Cowboys fell to their in-state, Group of Five rival and for the first time since 1951, they did it at home. That’s not just a disappointing result; it’s a program-shaking, legacy-tarnishing disaster. The kind that becomes a turning point, whether leadership wants to admit it or not.
Oklahoma State Football Has Hit Rock Bottom
This wasn’t a fluke. It wasn’t a heartbreaker. It was a deserved defeat to a Tulsa team playing its backup quarterback, in a game where Oklahoma State once again looked disengaged, disorganized, and completely out of sync. And it happened under the watch of Mike Gundy, a head coach whose legacy in Stillwater may have just unraveled before our eyes.
Just two years ago, Oklahoma State was competing for a Big 12 Championship. Now? They’ve hit a historic low, and the fall has been as swift as it is shocking. What once was a program known for toughness, consistency, and pride now resembles a shell of its former self. They’re treading water in a rapidly evolving college football landscape, getting out-coached and out-played by teams they once dominated.
If Gundy’s seat was hot before, it’s scorching now. This loss isn’t just another L on the schedule, it’s a massive red flag. The kind of loss that gets people fired. Which could be coming sooner than many could’ve anticipated.
And truthfully, the writing has been on the wall. From a humiliating 66-point collapse against Oregon to a lifeless effort against Tulsa, this team has shown very little pulse. The defense, under a veteran coordinator in Todd Grantham, looks completely lost. The offense, long a Gundy calling card, is stagnant. And perhaps most troubling, the players look checked out. There’s no energy, no fight and just resignation.
How did it get this bad, this fast?
Part of the answer may lie in Gundy’s unwillingness, or inability, to fully adapt to the modern college football era. The NIL era and transfer portal have reshaped the sport, and while other programs embraced the change, Oklahoma State seems stuck in 2015. Roster turnover, recruiting struggles, and a lack of playmakers are symptoms of a deeper issue: the Cowboys haven’t kept up, and now they’re paying the price.
It’s also fair to question whether the culture has grown stale. Gundy has been the face of this program for nearly two decades. He’s won big games, developed NFL talent, and brought Oklahoma State national relevance. But that success feels like a distant memory. In a results-driven sport, the past can only protect you for so long and it certainly can’t excuse losing to Tulsa at home.
The Big 12 is changing. The bar is rising. And Oklahoma State is falling dangerously behind.
This team doesn’t need just tweaks, they need a complete overhaul from top to bottom. A fresh vision. New leadership. New energy. The kind of spark that can reignite a proud program before it fades completely into mediocrity. Because make no mistake: that’s exactly where OSU is headed if something doesn’t change fast.
This was supposed to be a get-right game — a chance to reset after a tough loss to a ranked Oregon team. Instead, it may be remembered as the night everything officially came crashing down. The night the Cowboys became the story for all the wrong reasons.
Gundy has had a long, successful run at Oklahoma State. But after this, it’s fair to ask whether he’s reached the end of the line.
Main Image: NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
