Looking Back at Season No. 125

Brennan Presley and Ollie Gordon II at Coloardo - 2024

February 03, 2025 | Cowboy Football

The 2024 Oklahoma State football season – the 125th in program history – marked the end of an era as it was the final collegiate season for several Cowboy greats, including wide receiver Brennan Presley, running back Ollie Gordon II, edge rusher Collin Oliver and linebacker Nick Martin.

It also marked a first in program history, as OSU sold every ticket for every home football game prior to the start of the season. It was the second consecutive season sellout for Cowboy football.

Presley headlined the year by putting his name throughout the record books. His 2024 performance helped him cap his career with 315 catches to rank as the most in Oklahoma State history, the second most in Big 12 history and among the top 15 in the history of college football.

With 1,034 all-purpose yards, Presley also became the first player in school history to record four seasons with 1,000 all-purpose yards. He became the first Power Conference player to accomplish the feat since Clemson's Travis Etienne from 2017-20, the fifth player in Big 12 history to reach the mark and the first Big 12 player to do it since Texas A&M's Cyrus Gray from 2008-11.

In addition to wrapping up his career as OSU's all-time receptions leader, Presley finished among the OSU leaders in all-purpose yards (fourth with 5,142), receiving yards (sixth with 3,315), receiving touchdowns (seventh with 23), kickoff returns yards (fourth with 1,427), kickoff returns (fifth with 61) and more. He was also the first Power Conference wide receiver since 2016 to pass 5,000 career all-purpose yards, the only Power Conference player since 2004 to record three career games with at least 15 catches and the only FBS player in 2024 to record at least 760 receiving yards, 200 kickoff return yards and 50 rushing yards. No other Power Conference player had hit each of those marks in a season since 2018.

Gordon was the only Cowboy to finish with more all-purpose yards than Presley in 2024, edging past him with 1,059 yards that included 880 rushing yards and 179 receiving yards. Gordon wrapped his Cowboy career ranked sixth in school history with 36 rushing touchdowns and 12th with 2,920 rushing yards. The third-best all-purpose yardage total came from leading receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, who recorded 882 yards, all from his receiving total.

Although there were several impressive notes from individual performers, the 2024 Cowboy football season was marred by several injuries to key players and a tough schedule that produced a 3-9 overall record. Another factor was that Oklahoma State was one of just two Big 12 teams to face eight of the top nine teams in the final conference standings, and did not get to face five of the six other teams that finished with a losing record in league play.

The Cowboys dealt with more than their fair share of injuries, as preseason All-Americans Oliver and Martin, safety Trey Rucker, safety Dylan Smith, right tackle Jake Springfield, left tackle Dalton Cooper, safety Cameron Epps, quarterback Garret Rangel, defensive end Jaleel Johnson, linebacker Justin Wright, receiver Da'Wain Lofton, receiver Talyn Shettron and others all missed time during the season.

The year did get off to a hot start for OSU, as the Cowboys started 3-0 and reached as high as No. 13 in the AP poll, giving them a top 15 ranking at least once in 15 of the past 17 seasons.

The season opener pitted Oklahoma State against two-time defending FCS national champion South Dakota State on the final day of August. The Jackrabbits entered as winners of their last 29 games to mark the third-longest streak in FCS history, but the Cowboys used 146 total yards and three touchdowns from Gordon to hand SDSU its first loss in nearly two years. It also marked OSU's 29th consecutive win in a home opener to mark the longest active streak in the FBS.

OSU's following matchup renewed a long-running series that had been dormant since 1980, as the Cowboys hosted the Arkansas Razorbacks at Boone Pickens Stadium. OSU trailed by 14 points at halftime and by eight points in the fourth quarter but emerged with a 39-31 win after two overtimes.

One of the highlights of the day was what ended up being Oliver's final career play as a Cowboy. With OSU trailing 14-0 and Arkansas driving to score again, he blasted Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green as he threw and forced a 73-yard pick six by Kale Smith to swing the momentum back in the Cowboys' favor. Oliver finished his career among the top five in school history in sacks and tackles for loss.

The Cowboys' momentum continued into their final nonconference game, as they went on the road the following week to claim their biggest win at Tulsa ever, winning by 35 points with a score of 45-10. Quarterback Alan Bowman highlighted the day as he was named the Walter Camp National FBS Offensive Player of the Week after he finished 24-for-31 passing for 396 yards and five touchdowns. It was also Stribling's best day as a Cowboy as he finished with 174 receiving yards and two touchdowns. As a team, OSU produced a season-high 560 yards of offense while holding Tulsa to 352 yards to also mark OSU's fewest yards allowed all year.

As dominant as Oklahoma State was in that game, it marked OSU's final victory of the season as the Cowboys closed the year by dropping their last nine games, although there were some close calls that almost broke up that streak.

The following game was one of those, as the Cowboys hosted No. 12 Utah in a top 15 matchup to open conference play. OSU trailed 22-3 with less than six minutes remaining in the game and stormed back to have a chance at the end but fell just short of completing the improbable comeback in a 22-19 defeat.

More trouble struck the following week as Martin, the unquestioned leader of OSU's defense, was injured at Kansas State in what ended up being the last game of his collegiate career. The Cowboys trailed by just one possession at halftime but ended up with a 42-20 loss against the No. 23 Wildcats.

After a home setback against West Virginia, OSU had an open week to regroup and then nearly pulled off a big upset on a Friday night at No. 13 BYU in the Cowboys' first ever trip to Provo. Quarterback Garret Rangel got the start for the first time all season, but he suffered a season-ending injury shortly before halftime as he helped guide the Cowboys to a 21-14 lead at the break. In a wild second half, the Cowboys took a 35-31 lead with 1:13 remaining after a 17-play, 76-yard touchdown drive in 8:22, but BYU responded with a 35-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds remaining to win 38-35.

OSU fell the following week at Baylor, then against eventual Big 12 champion Arizona State at home and then again on the road at TCU before a second open week.

The home finale against Texas Tech marked the first start for true freshman quarterback Maealiuaki Smith. He had an impressive day with 316 passing yards to mark the second-most passing yards in a first career start in OSU history. It wasn't quite enough though, as a late Cowboy turnover sealed a 56-48 Texas Tech win.

The season finale marked the first Black Friday game in the history of Oklahoma State football. The Cowboys were unable to end the season on a high note though as they fell at Colorado in their first trip to Boulder since 2008.

With no postseason appearance, OSU's historic streak of 18 consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances came to an end. OSU and Wisconsin were the only two FBS schools that could claim that streak. Mike Gundy is one of 10 head coaches in the history of major college football to record 18 consecutive winning seasons with the same school.

There were six Cowboys who received honorable mention honors to the All-Big 12 team, including cornerback Korie Black, running back Ollie Gordon II, punter Wes Pahl,, wide receiver Brennan Presley, center Joe Michalski and offensive lineman Jake Springfield.

In the classroom, Alan Bowman, Cale Cabbiness, Aden Kelley, Garrick Martin, Jake Schultz, Dylan Smith and Logan Ward were CSC Academic All-District selections, while 27 made the Academic All-Big 12 team, including each of those seven, Gabe Brown, Chance Clements, Kendal Daniels, Ike Esonwune, Ollie Gordon II, Austin Kawecki, Justin Kirkland, Cooper Lai, Luke McEndoo, Joe Michalski, Wes Pahl, Garret Rangel, Parker Robertson, Xavier Ross, Jakobe Sanders, Talyn Shettron, Jake Springfield, Quinton Stewart, Ty Williams and Preston Wilson.