Oklahoma State’s bye week didn’t keep the Cowboys out of the national conversation, but it also didn’t push them into the coaches’ Top 25.
After a week off, OSU landed just outside the US LBM Top 25 on Sunday, drawing 187 votes from FBS head coaches, including the Cowboys’ own Eric Morris. Kentucky claimed the No. 25 spot with 210 votes, leaving Oklahoma State on the outside looking in. Last week, the Cowboys had been the first team out with 126 votes.
The timing matters because OSU is about to return to ranked-company territory. The Cowboys, now 3-1 and 1-0 in the Big 12, will face UCF as a ranked team for the first time since Sept. 28, 2024, when they went to Kansas State as the No. 20 team in the country and took a 42-20 loss in Manhattan.
The week off also gave Oklahoma State’s staff a chance to shift from game planning to recruiting. Coaches spent part of the break laying groundwork for the Class of 2028 and working on possible flips for the Class of 2027. Now the focus swings back to football.
The AP Top 25 told a different story. Oklahoma State re-entered that poll at No. 19 after its 41-24 win over West Virginia, one spot better than its ranking against Kansas State two years ago.
There wasn’t much movement blocking the Cowboys from getting back in, either - No. 17 Tennessee and No.
18 USC both won.
What’s driving OSU’s rise is the offense, which has turned into one of the most productive units in the country. The Cowboys have cleared 500 total yards in back-to-back games and enter this week ranked No. 2 nationally in total offense at 548.2 yards per game, trailing only Miami (FL) at 554.8.
The defense has work to do, especially after giving up 466 yards against West Virginia. Even so, that unit made enough timely plays to matter: Oklahoma State held the Mountaineers 0-for-3 on fourth down, picked off a pass by defensive back Mose Phillips III, recorded four sacks and finished with eight tackles for loss.
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The quarterback situation only adds another layer, with Dante Moore expected back after a concussion as Oregon tries to keep its playoff path clean. For Oklahoma State, the interest is obvious because the Ducks are no longer just a nonconference opponent on the schedule, but a team with real postseason implications tied to its name, its ranking and the way the rest of the Big Ten race unfolds. [Read more 🡒]