Mike Gundy has been fired as the head football coach at Oklahoma State. This was the 21st season at the helm of the Cowboys football program. Here is a
look at the Oklahoma State Cowboys football program since 2008 (the
first year that in which I have data for the model). After the figure
below is a more
detailed look at
the Oklahoma State Cowboys football program during head coach Gundy's
tenure based on the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model using data provided by www.cfbstats.com. (The vertical school color bars represent seasons where head coaches changed).
Mike Gundy [2008*-2025*] Analysis starts in 2008 and only part of the 2025 season is included up to when Gundy was fired.
2008
The Cowboys finished the regular season at 9-3 making them bowl eligible, where they were defeated by #19 ranked Oregon by a score of (31-42) to finish with a win-loss record of 9-4. The Cowboyss played
against an “tougher”
strength
of schedule (SOS), meaning that their SOS was between one and two
standard deviations below the average SOS for the "league". Oklahoma State's
best win
was against #16 ranked Missouri by a
score of (28-23) and their worst loss was to #10 ranked Texas Tech by a
score of (20-56).
Oklahoma State was the #24 ranked team overall, with the
#7 ranked
offense and the #91 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2009
The
Cowboys again finished the regular season at 9-3 making them bowl eligible, and were again defeated in their post-season bowl game, but this time by #29 ranked Mississippi by a score of (7-21) to
finish with a win-loss record of 9-4. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS), meaning that their SOS was plus or minus one standard deviation of the average SOS for the "league". Oklahoma State's
best win
was against #19 ranked Texas Tech by a
score of (24-17) and their worst loss was to #17 ranked Houston by a
score of (35-45).
Oklahoma State was the #42 ranked team overall, with the #34 ranked
offense and the #51 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2010
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 10-2 making them bowl
eligible, where they defeated #33 ranked Arizona by a score of (36-10) to
finish with a win-loss record of 11-2. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best win
was against #26 ranked Tulsa by a
score of (65-28) and their worst loss was to #16 ranked Nebraska by a
score of (41-51).
Oklahoma State was the
#10 ranked team overall, with
the #6 ranked
offense and the #55 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2011 Big 12 Champion
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 11-1 and the Big 12 Champion. Oklahoma State defeated #7 ranked Stanford by a score of (41-38) to
finish with a win-loss record of 12-1. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best win
was against #19 ranked Oklahoma by a
score of (44-10) and their only loss was to #112 ranked Iowa State by a
score of (31-37).
Oklahoma State was the
#5 ranked team overall, with
the #2 ranked
offense and the #62 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2012
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 7-5 making them bowl eligible, where they defeated #23 ranked Purdue by a score of (58-14) to
finish with a win-loss record of 8-5. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best win
was against #39 ranked TCU by a
score of (36-14) and their worst loss was to #61 ranked Arizona by a
score of (38-59).
Oklahoma State was the #21 ranked team overall, with the
#7 ranked
offense and the #87 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2013
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 10-2 making them bowl eligible,
where they were defeated #13 ranked Missouri by a score of (31-41) to
finish with a win-loss record of 10-3. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best win
was against #4 ranked Baylor by a
score of (49-17) and their worst loss was to #90 ranked West Virginia by a
score of (21-30).
Oklahoma State was the #15 ranked team overall, with the #26 ranked
offense and the #15 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2014
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 6-6 making them bowl eligible,
where they defeated #51 ranked Washington by a score of (30-22) to
finish with a win-loss record of 7-6. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best win
was against #33 ranked Oklahoma by a
score of (38-35) and their worst loss was to #71 ranked Texas by a
score of (7-28).
Oklahoma State was the #102 ranked team overall, with the #87 ranked
offense and the #106 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2015
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 10-2 making them bowl eligible,
where they were defeated #6 ranked Mississippi by a score of (20-48) to
finish with a win-loss record of 10-3. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best win
was against #31 ranked TCU by a
score of (49-29) and their worst loss was to #15 ranked Baylor by a
score of (35-45).
Oklahoma State was the #40 ranked team overall, with the #19 ranked
offense and the #87 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2016
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 9-3 making them bowl eligible,
where they defeated #16 ranked Colorado by a score of (38-8) to
finish with a win-loss record of 10-3. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best regular season win
was against #42 ranked West Virginia by a
score of (37-20) and their worst regular season loss was to #90 ranked Central Michigan by a
score of (27-30).
Oklahoma State was the #30 ranked team overall, with the #18 ranked
offense and the #72 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2017
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 9-3 making them bowl eligible,
where they defeated #28 ranked Virginia Tech by a score of (30-21) to
finish with a win-loss record of 10-3. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best regular season win
was against #36 ranked Iowa State by a
score of (49-42) and their worst regular season loss was to #59 ranked Kansas State by a
score of (40-45).
Oklahoma State was the #12 ranked team overall, with
the #2 ranked
offense and the #106 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2018
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 6-6 making them bowl eligible,
where they defeated #34 ranked Missouri by a score of (38-33) to
finish with a win-loss record of 7-6. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best regular season win
was against #16 ranked Boise State by a
score of (44-21) and their worst regular season loss was to #95 ranked Baylor by a
score of (31-35).
Oklahoma State was the #76 ranked team overall, with the #22 ranked
offense and the #116 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2019
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 8-4 making them bowl eligible,
where they were defeated by #47 ranked Texas A&M by a score of (21-24) to
finish with a win-loss record of 8-5. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best regular season win
was against #40 ranked Iowa State by a
score of (34-27) and their worst regular season loss was to #83 ranked Texas Tech by a
score of (35-45).
Oklahoma State was the #55 ranked team overall, with the #34 ranked
offense and the #85 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2020
The COVID-19 season saw the Cowboys finished at 7-3 making them bowl eligible,
where they defeated by #23 ranked Miami (FL) by a score of (37-34) to
finish with a win-loss record of 8-3. The Cowboys played
against a “tougher”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best regular season win
was against #8 ranked Iowa State by a
score of (24-21) and their worst regular season loss was to #36 ranked TcU by a
score of (22-29).
Oklahoma State was the #29 ranked team overall, with the #21 ranked
offense and the #96 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2021 Big 12 Runner-Up
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 11-1 and played in the Big 12 Championship game were they were defeated by #13 ranked Baylor by a score of (16-21). The Cowboys bounced back and defeated #12 ranked Notre Dame by a score of (37-35) to
finish with a win-loss record of 12-2. The Cowboys played
against a “tougher”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best regular season win
was against #13 ranked Baylor by a
score of (24-14) and their only regular season loss was to #14 ranked Iowa State by a
score of (21-24).
Oklahoma State was the
#10 ranked team overall, with the #14 ranked
offense and the #19 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2022
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 7-5 making them bowl eligible,
where they were defeated by #39 ranked Wisconsin by a score of (17-24) to
finish with a win-loss record of 7-6. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best regular season win
was against #15 ranked Texas by a
score of (41-34) and their worst regular season loss was to #104 ranked West Virginia by a
score of (19-24).
Oklahoma State was the #82 ranked team overall, with the #38 ranked
offense and the #116 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2023 Big 12 Runner-Up
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 9-3 and played in the Big 12
Championship game were they were defeated by #14 ranked Texas by a
score of (21-49). The Cowboys bounced back and defeated #35 ranked Texas A&M by a score of (31-23) to
finish with a win-loss record of 10-4. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best regular season win
was against #7 ranked Oklahoma by a
score of (27-24) and their worst regular season loss was to #51 ranked Iowa State by a
score of (27-34).
Oklahoma State was the #62 ranked team overall, with the #23 ranked
offense and the #124 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2024
The
Cowboys finished the regular season at 3-9 making them bowl ineligible. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). Oklahoma State's
best regular season win
was against #47 ranked Arkansas by a
score of (39-31) and their worst regular season loss was to #103 ranked West Virginia by a
score of (14-38).
Oklahoma State was the #121 ranked team overall, with the #83 ranked
offense and the #131 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2025*
The
Cowboys were 1-2 at the time of Gundy's firing. The Cowboys played
against an “average”
strength
of schedule (SOS). At the time, Oklahoma State's only regular season win
was against FCS Tennessee Martin by a
score of (27-7) and their worst regular season loss was to #80 ranked Tulsa by a
score of (12-19).
At the time, Oklahoma State was the #114 ranked team overall, with the #130 ranked
offense and the #64 ranked defense using the
Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from
www.cfbstats.com.
2025 FBS Head Coach Changes
