College Football Rankings: Way-too-early Top 25 projections for 2018
By Zach Bigalke
Oklahoma State continues to be one of the most consistent teams in college football, churning out one winning season after another under head coach and alumnus Mike Gundy. After a 4-7 campaign in his first season taking over for Les Miles, Gundy has taken the Cowboys bowling every year since.
In 2017, the Cowboys knocked off Virginia Tech 30-21 in the Camping World Bowl. The win gave Oklahoma State a third straight 10-win season, and its sixth year in double digits in the win column since 2010. While Gundy’s staff has done a good job over the years of reloading and retooling the offense to remain among the most prolific in the country, there will be some tough losses from the 2017 roster.
The chief worry for Gundy and his offensive staff is finding a replacement for Mason Rudolph. In 2017 the senior beat Bedlam rival and Heisman winner to take the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the top senior quarterback in the country. Now, after three years of Rudolph at starting quarterback, the Cowboys have a glaring hole at the position.
If not for the loss of Rudolph, Oklahoma State would probably be somewhere in the low-to-mid teens in the preseason AP Top 25 rather than down in the 20s. Finding a replacement at quarterback is always a big if, but if Gundy’s crew can get someone competent under center the Cowboys have the personnel to make another run at 10 wins in 2018.