Oklahoma State Cowboys football

The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his 21st year as head coach. Oklahoma State plays its home games at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Since the beginning of the program in 1901, Oklahoma State has compiled a 640–581–48 record for a .523 winning percentage. Oklahoma State claims one national championship in 1945 (awarded by the AFCA) in addition to eleven conference championships, and the team has also appeared in 34 bowl games, amassing a 22–12 bowl game record, which include 5 victories in New Year's Six bowl games. The Cowboys have produced 66 All-Americans with 50 being first-team (20 consensus, 8 unanimous) selections. Running back Barry Sanders won the Heisman Trophy in 1988, and the school has had 8 former players and coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

History

Early history (1900–1962)

The Oklahoma A&M Aggies (also referred to as the Tigers) played their first season of football in 1900 and joined their first conference for the start of the 1915 season, the Southwest Conference. In 1925, the Oklahoma A&M program joined the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association. In 1928, the MVIAA split into the Big Six Conference and the Missouri Valley Conference. A&M was the only large school that joined the smaller MVC. Jim Lookabaugh, an OSU alum who lettered in multiple sports, led the Aggies for eleven seasons, which included a 9–0 campaign and a national championship in 1945 which followed an 8–1 season the year before. In October 2016, Oklahoma State was retroactively awarded the 1945 national championship by a committee of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), consisting of former Baylor coach Grant Teaff, Georgia's Vince Dooley, and Texas A&M's R.C. Slocum. Lookabaugh stepped down after the 1949 season, finishing his tenure with a mark of 58–41–6. From 1950 to 1954, Jennings B. Whitworth coached at Oklahoma A&M, and compiled a 22–27–1 record, which included only one winning season, a 7–3 campaign in 1953. Whitworth departed A&M to accept the head coaching position at Alabama following the 1954 season. In 1951, Oklahoma A&M players and coaches caused the Johnny Bright incident, a violent on-field assault against an African American player from Drake University, Johnny Bright; Oklahoma A&M administration would attempt to cover up and deny the incident for over half a century.

Cliff Speegle took the reins of the Oklahoma A&M Cowboys. Under Speegle's tutelage, the Cowboys compiled a record of 36–42–3, which included three winning seasons from 1957 to 1959. The losing record, combined with an 0–8 mark against rival Oklahoma, resulted in Speegle's firing following the 1962 season. In 1956, A&M announced it was joining (or rejoining, depending on one's view) what had become the Big Seven for the 1958–59 academic year. As part of a transition period, the Cowboys went independent for two years. On May 15, 1957, Oklahoma A&M changed its name to Oklahoma State University. They officially became a part of the renamed Big Eight Conference in 1958.

Phil Cutchin era (1963–1968)

Longtime Bear Bryant assistant Phil Cutchin led Oklahoma State to its first win over Oklahoma in 20 years, but failed to bring success to Stillwater, compiling a mark of 19–38–2. Cutchin was replaced by the OSU administration eager to see a winning product on the field.

Floyd Gass era (1969–1971)

Oklahoma State continued to struggle under head coach Floyd Gass, an OSU alum, who led the Cowboy football program for three seasons. During his tenure, he led the team to three straight losing seasons. Fan and administration support became increasingly hard to come by as the on-field production slipped. Despite the lack of football success, Gass would serve in multiple capacities at OSU, including athletics director for several years after his resignation as football coach.

Dave Smith era (1972)

The Cowboys were finally able to enjoy a winning season —their first in nine years—in 1974 under the leadership of head coach Dave Smith. However, Smith wouldn't stick around, as he departed for the head coaching position at SMU after just one season in Stillwater.

Jim Stanley era (1973–1978)

Jim Stanley, a two-time defensive coordinator at OSU, returned to Stillwater to become the head coach of the Cowboys in 1973. He coached them from 1973 to 1978, amassing a career record of 35–31–2. Stanley's Cowboys earned a Fiesta Bowl victory in 1974 and his 1976 team ended the season 9–3 finishing as a Big Eight co-champions on their way to a Tangerine Bowl victory. His success at Oklahoma State earned him many accolades, including being invited to coach three collegiate all-star games: the 1973 East–West Shrine Game, the 1977 Hula Bowl, and the 1977 Japan Bowl.

In 1978, the Big Eight Conference initiated an investigation into the OSU football program in response to allegations of violations of several NCAA rules and regulations while Stanley was head coach. Stanley successfully filed suit against the conference to require them to provide various due process protections in their final hearing on the charges.

Jimmy Johnson era (1979–1983)

In 1979, Jimmy Johnson got the head coaching job at Oklahoma State. Johnson's successful rebuilding of the inconsistent Cowboys football program is a hallmark in the long history of Cowboy football. In his final season, he led the Cowboys to an 8–4 record and a 24–14 victory over 20th-ranked Baylor in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl. The season included a season opening romp over then No. 12 ranked Arizona State in Tempe, and a Bedlam matchup between the No. 2 ranked Oklahoma Sooners and the No. 3-ranked Cowboys on November 24, 1984. A game in which the Cowboys ultimately lost, 24–14.

In 1984, when he was offered the head coaching job at Miami, Jimmy Johnson was unsure if he wanted to leave Stillwater. His good friend Larry Lacewell told Johnson that if he wanted to win a national championship and eventually coach in the NFL he had to take the Miami job. Johnson soon after accepted the head coaching job at Miami. Jimmy Johnson left OSU with an overall record of 29–25–3.

Pat Jones era (1984–1994)

Pat Jones was promoted from assistant coach to head coach following Johnson's departure. He served as head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys from 1984 to 1994 after five years as an assistant under Jimmy Johnson. During his 11 years at Oklahoma State, he compiled a 62–60–3 record, including a 3–1 bowl game record. Jones was named Big Eight Coach of the Year in both 1984 and 1992. From 1984 to 1988, Jones led the Cowboys to the most successful period in school history at the time. With a talented roster that included running backs Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas, wide receiver Hart Lee Dykes and quarterback Mike Gundy, they went 44–15 over this five-year stretch, including the school's first three-year stretch of ten-win seasons.

Running back Barry Sanders played for the Cowboys from 1986 to 1988. During his first two seasons at Oklahoma State, he backed up All-American Thurman Thomas. In 1987, Sanders led the nation in yards per kickoff return (31.6), while also rushing for over 600 yards and scoring 8 touchdowns. Thomas moved on to the NFL, and Sanders became the starter for his junior year.

In 1988, in what has been called the greatest individual season in college football history, Sanders led the nation by averaging 7.6 yards per carry and over 200 yards per game, including rushing for over 300 yards in four games. Despite his massive workload of 344 carries, Sanders was still used as the team's punt and kickoff returner, adding another 516 yards on special teams. He set college football season records with 2,628 yards rushing, 3,248 total yards, 234 points, 39 touchdowns, 37 rushing touchdowns, 5 consecutive 200 yard games, scored at least 2 touchdowns in 11 consecutive games, and 9 times he scored at least 3 touchdowns. Sanders also ran for 222 yards and scored 5 touchdowns in his three quarters of action in the 1988 Holiday Bowl, a game that is not included in the official NCAA season statistics. Sanders learned of his Heisman Trophy win while he was with the team in Tokyo, Japan, preparing to face Texas Tech in the Coca-Cola Classic. He chose to leave Oklahoma State before his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

Days after the 1988 season, Oklahoma State and the NCAA released the results of an unusual joint investigation into the football program. The investigation revealed several major violations dating prior to Johnson's tenure, principally involvement in a "bidding war" for Dykes out of high school. The Cowboys were banned from bowl games for three years and from live television for two years, and they were also limited to 20 scholarships from 1989 to 1992. Jones was not directly implicated in any wrongdoing; indeed, the investigation found that no violations had taken place in two years. He was unable to put together another winning team due to the sanctions, and left OSU after the 1994 season. In Jones' last six years, the Cowboys won only seven games in Big Eight play, including three seasons of winless conference records. Oklahoma State would need almost the entire decade of the 1990s to recover; with only one winning season coming between 1989 and 2001.

Bob Simmons era (1995–2000)

Bob Simmons came to OSU from his post as defensive line coach at Colorado to replace Jones. Simmons' teams were largely unsuccessful, and Simmons resigned under pressure following the 2000 season. His final record in Stillwater was 30–38 with just one winning campaign, an 8–4 season in 1997 that culminated in a loss in the Alamo Bowl. In 1996, OSU joined with the other Big Eight schools and four schools from the old Southwest Conference to form the Big 12 Conference.

Les Miles era (2001–2004)

After Simmons' resignation, a coaching search produced Dirk Koetter as the new head coach. Hours after accepting the job, Koetter reneged on his offer in order to coach at Arizona State.

The next two candidates were Les Miles, a former OSU offensive coordinator, and Mike Gundy, a former OSU player and coach. Miles was hired as head coach while Gundy was brought on as offensive coordinator. In his first year as head coach, Miles would achieve a 4–7 record. In the 2001 regular season finale, the underdog Cowboys would defeat the reigning national champion Oklahoma Sooners in Norman 16–13. In 2002, Miles would post a 7–5 regular season record. The Cowboys again defeated the Oklahoma Sooners, this time in Stillwater. The team would go on to three straight bowl games in Miles's last three years as head coach ('02,'03,'04). Miles left after the 2004 season to take the head coaching position at LSU.

Mike Gundy era (2005–present)

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Coach Mike Gundy

Mike Gundy was promoted from offensive coordinator and named immediately as Miles' successor and the 22nd head coach at Oklahoma State. Gundy is one of three head football coaches at Oklahoma State to have played for Oklahoma State, along with Jim Lookabaugh and Floyd Gass. His first season saw the expulsion of 11 players from the team and the Cowboys struggled to a 4–7 record winning only one Big 12 conference game. In his second season, the Cowboy offense began to click and the Cowboys would finish 7–6 including a victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Independence Bowl. In 2007, the Cowboys again posted a 6–6 regular season record and a bowl win over the Indiana Hoosiers in the Insight Bowl. After their second straight bowl appearance, Gundy was rewarded with a contract extension through the 2013 season.

After posting a 9–3 regular season record in 2008, Coach Gundy received a new seven-year contract worth $15.7 million. The contract, which extends through the 2015 season, was taken into effect on January 1, 2009. Gundy's tenure as head coach of the Cowboys has seen the rise and expansion of not only his football program, but the football facilities as well. The Cowboys began the 2009 season ranked No. 9 in the country in the AP Top 25, but the dreams of a miracle season were crushed when the Pokes lost 45–35 to the unranked Houston Cougars at home the following week, and later finding out that star wide receiver Dez Bryant was ruled ineligible for the remainder of the season, for lying to the NCAA about having contact with 8-time pro bowler Deion Sanders, which wasn't an NCAA violation in the first place. The following year, Oklahoma State hired offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen from the University of Houston. In 2010 coach Gundy recorded the first ever 11-win season in Oklahoma State history. What was supposed to be a rebuilding year turned into the best in school history.

Under Gundy there have been a series of NFL quality wide receivers to come through Boone Pickens Stadium. These include Adarius Bowman, Dez Bryant, Justin Blackmon, James Washington, and Tylan Wallace. On December 3, 2011, the Cowboys won their first Big 12 Championship in school history with a 44–10 victory over rival Oklahoma in the Bedlam Series. The nationally third-ranked Cowboys eventually went on to win the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl by beating fourth-ranked Stanford in overtime, 41–38, on January 2, 2012. Early in the 2012 season, he notched his 63rd win as head coach, passing Jones as the winningest coach in school history. On October 29, 2016, Mike Gundy recorded his 100th victory as a head coach with a 37–20 win over # 10 West Virginia. In the process, notching his sixth victory over a top 10 ranked school. Gundy is the only Oklahoma State football coach to record 100 victories, and only the 6th coach to reach such a milestone with his current school. Oklahoma State beat Oklahoma in Bedlam on November 27, 2021, to reach 5th place in the AP poll coming into championship weekend where they were defeated by Baylor, 21–16, in the Big 12 Championship.

Conference affiliations

• Independent (1901–1914, 1957–1959)
• Southwest Conference (1915–1924)
• Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1925–1927)
• Missouri Valley Conference (1926–1956)
• Big Eight Conference (1960–1995)
• Big 12 Conference (1996–present)

Championships

National championships

The 1945 Oklahoma A&M football team was retroactively awarded the AFCA national championship and The Coaches' Trophy by the American Football Coaches Association (who conduct the Coaches Poll) in October 2016 through their Blue Ribbon Commission. The Cowboys went 9–0 and capped off the undefeated championship season with a 33–13 win over Saint Mary's in the Sugar Bowl. To date, it is the only undefeated season in Oklahoma State football history.

Additionally, the 2011 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team was selected by NCAA-designated major selector Colley Matrix after a 12–1 season, highlighted by a Big 12 championship and Fiesta Bowl win. However, Oklahoma State does not claim this title.

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1945

Jim Lookabaugh

AFCA

9–0

Sugar Bowl

Saint Mary's

W 33–13

No. 5

–

Conference championships

The Cowboys have won eleven conference championships, six outright and five shared.

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1926	John Maulbetsch	Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association	3–4–1	3–0–1
1930 †	Lynn O. Waldorf	Missouri Valley Conference	7–2–1	2–0
1931 †			8–2–1	1–0
1932			9–1–2	3–0
1933 †			6–2–1	2–0
1944	Jim Lookabaugh		8–1	1–0
1945			9–0	1–0
1948			6–4	2–0
1953 †	J.B. Whitworth		7–3	3–1
1976 †	Jim Stanley	Big Eight Conference	9–3	5–2
2011	Mike Gundy	Big 12 Conference	12–1	8–1
† Co-champions

Division championships

The Cowboys have won one division championship.

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2010†	Mike Gundy	Big 12 South	11–2	6–2	N/A lost tie-breaker to Oklahoma
† Co-champions

Head coaches

The Cowboys have had 23 head coaches in their history. The current head coach, Mike Gundy, was hired on January 3, 2005. For the first four seasons the team played without an official head coach. The team's first head coach, F. A. McCoy, was hired in 1905 and coached for a single season. Gundy is the all-time leader in games coached (245), wins (166) and years coached (19), while Pappy Waldorf is the all-time leader in winning percentage (.735). The coach with lowest winning percentage is Ted Cox (.233). Eight coaches have led the Cowboys to postseason bowl games: Jim Lookabaugh, Cliff Speegle, Jim Stanley, Jimmy Johnson, Pat Jones, Bob Simmons, Les Miles and Mike Gundy. Six coaches have won conference championships with the Cowboys: John Maulbetsch, Lynn Waldorf, Lookabaugh, Jennings B. Whitworth, Stanley, and Gundy. One coach, Lookabaugh, retroactively won a national championship with the Cowboys. Four head coaches, Maulbetsch, Waldorf, Exendine, and Johnson have been inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Coaching staff

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Doug Meacham	Offensive coordinator	1st	TCU – Inside wide receivers coach (2024).
Todd Grantham	Defensive coordinator	1st	New Orleans Saints – Defensive Line (2023–2024)
Andrew Mitchell	Co–Offensive Line	1st	New Mexico State – Assistant Head Coach / Offensive Line (2022–2024)
Cooper Bassett	Co–Offensive Line	1st	Utah State – Co–Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line (2024)
Kevin Johns	Quarterback	1st	Oklahoma – Interim Co–Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks (2024)
Cory Patterson	Running Backs	1st	Purdue – Associate Head Coach / Wide Receivers (2023–2024)
D. J. Tialavea	Tight Ends	1st	Utah State – Tight Ends (2021–2024)
Ryan Osborn	Defensive line	1st	Charlotte – Defensive Coordinator / Outside Linebackers (2023–2024)
Ryan McNamara	Co–Linebackers	1st	Central Michigan – Linebackers (2023–2024)
Kap Dede	Co–Linebackers	1st	Western Kentucky – Outside Linebackers (2024)
Jules Montinar	Cornerbacks	1st	East Carolina – Defensive Pass Game Coordinator / Cornerbacks (2023–2024)
Greg Brown	Co–Safeties	1st	Oklahoma State – Defensive Analyst (2024)
Kevie Thompson	Co–Safeties	1st	East Mississippi Community College – Defensive Coordinator (2022–2024)
Sean Snyder	Punters and Kickers	2nd	Kansas – Special Assistant to the Head Coach (2023)
Rob Glass	Strength & Conditioning	20th	Florida – Director of Strength and Conditioning (1998–2004)
Reference:

Bowl games

Since the establishment of the team in 1901, the Oklahoma State Cowboys have appeared in 34 bowl games and have a record of 22 victories and 12 losses. The team's first bowl game appearance was in the 1945 Cotton Bowl Classic, which was a 34–0 victory over TCU. The most recent bowl game appearance by the Cowboys was in the 2023 Texas Bowl, which was a 31–23 victory over Texas A&M. They are 5–4 in the New Year's Six bowl games (Rose, Peach, Cotton Bowl Classic, Sugar, Fiesta and Orange), with their biggest win being over Stanford in the 2012 Fiesta Bowl, with the win making them finish 3rd in the final AP and Coaches poll, the highest ever finish for a Cowboy team.

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1	Cotton Bowl Classic		Template:Dts	1944	TCU	Cotton Bowl	Dallas, Texas	37,500
2	Sugar Bowl		Template:Dts	1945	St. Mary's	Tulane Stadium	New Orleans, Louisiana	68,822
3	Delta Bowl		Template:Dts	1948	William & Mary	Crump Stadium	Memphis, Tennessee	15,069
4	Bluegrass Bowl		Template:Dts	1958	Florida State	Cardinal Stadium	Louisville, Kentucky	3,152
5	Fiesta Bowl		Template:Dts	1974	BYU	Sun Devil Stadium	Tempe, Arizona	50,878
6	Tangerine Bowl		Template:Dts	1976	BYU	Tangerine Bowl	Orlando, Florida	37,812
7	Independence Bowl		Template:Dts	1981	Texas A&M	Independence Bowl	Shreveport, Louisiana	48,600
8	Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl		Template:Dts	1983	Baylor	Astrodome	Houston, Texas	50,090
9	Gator Bowl		Template:Dts	1984	South Carolina	Gator Bowl Stadium	Jacksonville, Florida	82,138
10	Gator Bowl		Template:Dts	1985	Florida State	Gator Bowl Stadium	Jacksonville, Florida	79,417
11	Sun Bowl		Template:Dts	1987	West Virginia	Sun Bowl	El Paso, Texas	43,240
12	Holiday		Template:Dts	1988	Wyoming	Jack Murphy Stadium	San Diego, California	60,641
13	Alamo Bowl		Template:Dts	1997	Purdue	Alamodome	San Antonio, Texas	55,552
14	Houston Bowl		Template:Dts	2002	Southern Miss	Reliant Stadium	Houston, Texas	44,687
15	Cotton Bowl Classic		Template:Dts	2003	Ole Miss	Cotton Bowl	Dallas, Texas	73,928
16	Alamo Bowl		Template:Dts	2004	Ohio State	Alamodome	San Antonio, Texas	65,265
17	Independence Bowl		Template:Dts	2006	Alabama	Independence Stadium	Shreveport, Louisiana	45,054
18	Insight Bowl		Template:Dts	2007	Indiana	Sun Devil Stadium	Tempe, Arizona	48,892
19	Holiday Bowl		Template:Dts	2008	Oregon	Qualcomm Stadium	San Diego, California	59,106
20	Cotton Bowl Classic		Template:Dts	2009	Ole Miss	Cowboys Stadium	Arlington, Texas	77,928
21	Alamo Bowl		Template:Dts	2010	Arizona	Alamodome	San Antonio, Texas	57,593
22	Fiesta Bowl		Template:Dts	2011	Stanford	University of Phoenix Stadium	Glendale, Arizona	69,927
23	Heart Of Dallas Bowl		Template:Dts	2012	Purdue	Cotton Bowl	Dallas, Texas	48,313
24	Cotton Bowl Classic		Template:Dts	2013	Missouri	AT&T Stadium	Arlington, Texas	72,690
25	Cactus Bowl		Template:Dts	2014	Washington	Sun Devil Stadium	Tempe, Arizona	35,409
26	Sugar Bowl		Template:Dts	2015	Ole Miss	Mercedes-Benz Superdome	New Orleans, Louisiana	72,117
27	Alamo Bowl		Template:Dts	2016	Colorado	Alamodome	San Antonio, Texas	59,815
28	Camping World Bowl		Template:Dts	2017	Virginia Tech	Camping World Stadium	Orlando, Florida	39,610
29	Liberty Bowl		Template:Dts	2018	Missouri	Liberty Bowl	Memphis, Tennessee	51,587
30	Texas Bowl		Template:Dts	2019	Texas A&M	NRG Stadium	Houston, Texas	68,415
31	Cheez-It Bowl		Template:Dts	2020	Miami	Camping World Stadium	Orlando, Florida	0Template:Efn
32	Fiesta Bowl		Template:Dts	2021	Notre Dame	State Farm Stadium	Glendale, Arizona	49,550
33	Guaranteed Rate Bowl		Template:Dts	2022	Wisconsin	Chase Field	Phoenix, Arizona	23,187
34	Texas Bowl		Template:Dts	2023	Texas A&M	NRG Stadium	Houston, Texas	56,212

Rivalries

Oklahoma

The first Bedlam game was held at Island Park in Guthrie, Oklahoma. It was a cold, and very windy day with the temperatures well below the freezing mark. At one moment in the game when the Oklahoma A&M Aggies were punting, the wind carried the ball backwards behind the kicker. If the Oklahoma A&M squad recovered the ball it would be a touchback and if the University of Oklahoma squad recovered it, it would be a touchdown. The ball kept going backwards and rolled down a hill into the half-frozen creek. Since a touchdown was at stake, members of both teams dove into the icy waters to recover the ball. A member of the OU team came out with the ball and downed it for a touchdown, eventually winning the game 75–0.[2] Thus was the beginning of Bedlam.

Author Steve Budin, whose father was a New York bookie, has recently publicized the claim that the 1954 "Bedlam" game against rival OU was fixed by mobsters in his book Bets, Drugs, and Rock & Roll (Template:ISBN). Allegedly, the mobsters threatened and paid off a cook to slip laxatives into a soup eaten by many OU Sooner starting players, causing them to fall violently ill in the days leading up to the game. OU was victorious in the end, but their 14–0 win did not cover the 20-point spread they had in their favor. However, many people involved in the 1954 contest do not recall any incident like the one purported by Budin to have occurred.

Tulsa

The Cowboys also have a rivalry with Tulsa. Oklahoma State leads Tulsa in the all-time series 44–27–5, winning the most recent matchup in 2024, 45–10. Since 1990, Oklahoma State is 15–3 versus Tulsa with the Cowboys scoring at least 28 points in nine of the last ten contests. The Cowboys have a twenty-three game home winning streak against Tulsa. The last time Tulsa won in Stillwater was 1951.

Facilities

Oklahoma State plays in Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The original football field was inaugurated in 1913, and the first stand was built in 1920. At that time the field was repositioned from a north–south to an east–west configuration to avoid the strong prevailing winds of Northern Oklahoma. From 1914 until 2004, the stadium was named Lewis Field, named after popular professor and dean Laymon Lowery Lewis. Even though a stadium would not be built for six years after the field's inception, the students felt obliged to name their alma mater's field after their beloved "Dr. Lew".

By 1930 the capacity had risen to 13,000 and increased again in 1947. Major additions, including the first press box, brought the capacity to 30,000. In 1950 again seats were added and the total capacity increased to 39,000. The next renovations came in 1972 and for the next three decades the capacity hovered around 50,000.

In 2003, alumnus T. Boone Pickens made a historic donation to the university for improvements to its athletic facilities, and it was announced that the stadium would be renamed in his honor. The announcement of the renovation came after two consecutive victories over the Oklahoma Sooners in the Bedlam Series. To this day, Boone Pickens Stadium is one of a very few major college football stadiums with an east–west configuration. The latest renovation of the football stadium was completed in 2009, with the capacity at 60,218. In 2017, Oklahoma State renumbered and expanded the current seats, leaving the new capacity at 56,790 in an effort to increase seat width and improve the fan experience. In 2018, Oklahoma State installed a 6,160 square foot video board on the façade of Gallagher-Iba Arena in the stadium's east end zone. The jumbotron will be one of the ten largest in the country, placing it ahead of USC's jumbotron at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

In 2007, plans to build the Sherman E. Smith Training Center were unveiled. The 92,000 square foot indoor practice facility was completed in 2013.

Logos and uniforms

Throughout the 2000s, the Cowboys had four main uniform combinations. For the 2011 football season, it was revealed that Nike had created new uniforms for the Cowboys, offering three different helmet options in either gray, black, or white. New jerseys and pants consisting of black, orange, grey and white also came aboard, allowing for up to 48 different variations. The Cowboys debuted their new gray uniforms for the first game of the 2011 season. In a 2012 home game against Iowa State, the Cowboys debuted the new orange helmets, along with a new Pistol Pete decal. This would bring the different uniform combinations up to 64.

The uniform combinations are chosen before the season by a committee of players and the Cowboys equipment manager, Wes Edwards. A few patterns have evolved since the origination of the multiple uniform era. Thursday night games during 2009, 2010, 2011, and in 2014 have involved black uniforms. Another trend has the Cowboys reverting to the traditional White Helmet/Traditional Brand Logo/Orange Jersey/White Pants for the home opener in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Bowl games for the 2012 Fiesta Bowl, the 2013 Heart of Dallas Bowl, and the high-profile 2014 season opener in the Cowboys Classic featured Oklahoma State wearing all black.

During the 2012 season, fans saw the addition of the orange helmet, and the addition of new decals. For the first time since 1979, the Cowboys took the field in "All Orange" against Iowa State for Homecoming. Also during the 2012 season, new carbon fiber gray helmets replaced the matte gray that had been used in 2011. The Cowboys helmet logos include a Pistol Pete logo, as well as what fans refer to as "Phantom Pete". The "OSU" Branded logo was now featured in different variants, to reflect the helmet being worn. During 2013, OSU began incorporating a stripe down the center of their helmets for different variations. In 2014, OSU revealed two new helmet choices- a "classic Aggie" which paid homage to the bucking Aggie logo used in the 1940s and 1950s when the school was still called Oklahoma A&M Aggies. The other helmet was an Orange-Chrome with an oversized, off-center Pistol Pete. This was worn in a Thursday night victory over Texas Tech.

On May 10, 2023, the official Oklahoma State Football Twitter (or X.com) account released a video post touting new uniforms. A joint Nike, Inc. - Oklahoma State Football media release accompanied the post. The uniforms combine cutting edge Nike F.U.S.E technology with a 1980s OSU aesthetic. The uniforms use 1980s striping, a variety of logos, and a modern "Wild West" typography developed internally by Oklahoma State in 2019 called Cimarron. This is the Cowboy's latest uniform update, with the last one being in 2016.

Past uniforms

• 2011 vs. Kansas State
  2011 vs. Kansas State
• Carbon Fiber Helmet
  Carbon Fiber Helmet
• 2012 Oklahoma State Uniform
  2012 Oklahoma State Uniform
• 2013 Oklahoma State Uniform
  2013 Oklahoma State Uniform
• 2014 Bucking Aggie Logo
  2014 Bucking Aggie Logo
• 2014 Orange Chrome Pete
  2014 Orange Chrome Pete

Paddle people

The student section has a tradition of hitting orange paddles on the sideline and end zone walls at home games. This tradition apparently started in the early 1990s, and has since become an official group within the university. The orange paddles have the word "pokes" in bold letters written on them.

Awards

Heisman Trophy

The Heisman Trophy is awarded annually to the nation's most outstanding college football player. One Oklahoma State player has won the Heisman Trophy: Barry Sanders. In addition, Terry Miller was runner-up in 1977.

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1988

Running back

1,878

Other awards

Walter Camp Award Collegiate football player of the year 1988 Barry Sanders – RB Maxwell Award Best all-around college football player 1988 Barry Sanders – RB Fred Biletnikoff Award Outstanding receiver 2010 Justin Blackmon –WR 2011 Justin Blackmon – WR 2017 James Washington – WR Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Outstanding senior quarterback 2017 Mason Rudolph – QB

Lou Groza Award Top Collegiate placekicker 2010 Dan Bailey – PK Ray Guy Award Top Collegiate Punter 2008 Matt Fodge – P Doak Walker Award Top Running Back 2023 Ollie Gordon II – RB Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award FWAA Coach of the Year 2011 Mike Gundy – HC

Ring of Honor

The Oklahoma State Football Ring of Honor was started in 2020 to honor distinguished former players. Located atop the west end zone of Boone Pickins Stadium is the names of the inductees and their retired jersey numbers. Five individuals have been inducted as of 2024, Thurman Thomas was the first inductee followed by Barry Sanders, Bob Fenimore, Terry Miller, and Leslie O'Neal.

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2020	34	Thurman Thomas	Running back	1984–1987
2021	21	Barry Sanders	Running back	1986–1988
2022	55	Bob Fenimore	Halfback	1943–1946
2023	43	Terry Miller	Running Back	1974–1977
2024	99	Leslie O'Neal	Defensive end	1982–1985

All-Americans

Every year, several publications release rosters of the best college football players in the country. The athletes on these lists are referred to as All-Americans. The NCAA recognizes five All-American lists. They are the Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of America, The Sporting News, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. A consensus All-American is typically defined as a player who is named to at least three or more lists, while a unanimous All-American must be named to all five. Oklahoma State has had 66 All-Americans with 50 being first-team (20 Consensus, 8 unanimous) selections.

College Football Hall of Fame

Oklahoma State has 8 inductees in the College Football Hall of Fame (6 players, 2 coach). The first inductee was coach Pappy Waldorf, who was inducted in 1966. The most recent is Justin Blackmon, who was inducted in 2023.

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1966		Coach	1929–1933
1972		Halfback	1943–1946
2003		Running back	1986–1988
2008		Running back	1984–1987
2012		Coach	1979–1983
2020		Defensive end	1982–1985
2022		Running back	1974–1977
2023		Wide receiver	2008–2011
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Cowboys in the NFL

As of November 29, 2023.

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of March 31, 2024.

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UT Martin	at Tulsa	Western Illinois	Southeastern Louisiana	at Alabama	at Tulsa	Tulsa	Arkansas	at Arkansas	at Nebraska	Nebraska
at Oregon	Oregon	at Arkansas	at Tulsa	Tulsa
Tulsa	Murray State	Tulsa	Alabama