Oklahoma

College football odds, bets: Why Oklahoma State is undervalued as a Big 12 championship contender

Published

2 years ago

June 2, 2024

College football odds, bets: Why Oklahoma State is undervalued as a Big 12 championship contender

There’s just something about playing underdog that Mike Gundy seems to love, no matter how much he wins. Oklahoma State was picked seventh in last season’s Big 12 preseason poll. Months later, the Pokes upset Oklahoma in the final Bedlam and played for a Big 12 championship. The Cowboys have reached double-digit wins eight times under Gundy’s watch. Half came after starting the year unranked in the preseason AP Top 25.

But in 2024, the lack of attention is head-scratching. Oklahoma State has the seventh-best odds to win the Big 12 championship, behind teams like Iowa State and Texas Tech. The Cowboys are tied with UCF, which went 6-7 during a frustrating first season as a power conference team. Ironically, the only Knights win against a legacy Power Five team came against OSU.

Granted, Oklahoma State was by no means dominant during its run to the Big 12 title game. Bizarre losses to UCF and South Alabama came by a combined 78-10. The Cowboys needed double overtime to survive a late charge from BYU. But still, Oklahoma State steadily held its ground. Heading into 2024, last season feels far more like an early arrival than a peak.

For one, running back Ollie Gordon II is back after a Doak Walker Award-winning campaign. Gordon rushed for 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns during a breakout sophomore season and will enter the 2024 season as the top returning rusher in the sport by a wide margin. 247Sports ranks his offensive line No. 1 in the nation, ahead of behemoths at LSU and Georgia. The unit boasts five starters, including tackles Dalton Cooper and Jake Springfield who combine for 89 starts.

Overall, Oklahoma State ranks No. 3 in returning production nationally per ESPN, trailing only Iowa State and Stanford. An absurd 85% of production returns to college football with playmakers at almost every level. Defensive lineman Collin Oliver is a potential first-round draft pick to lead the unit. Quarterback Alan Bowman was able to wrangle yet another year of eligibility in 2024. The Pokes reached Big 12 contention only once Bowman fully took over under center.

While returning production is no guarantee of success, it does set a baseline. Last season, Florida State, Kansas and Michigan were the three top Power Five teams in returning production. Those teams combined to go 37-5 and each put together their best seasons in at least a decade.

By the way, the greatest stumbling block is gone. Gundy lost 15 games against Oklahoma, which represents nearly 20% of his career losses. Now, the Cowboys have eternal scoreboard and Gundy never has to worry about Oklahoma ever again. It should be a huge weight off his shoulders heading forward.

It must be said, a non-Oklahoma team has ridden close-game luck to the Big 12 title game essentially every year since it returned in 2017. History is paved with horror stories of their follow-up seasons. There was 2023 TCU, which went from the national title game to missing a bowl game. One year earlier, Baylor went from a Sugar Bowl victory to a losing record. Iowa State also fell from a regular season first-place Big 12 finish in 2020 to a disappointing 7-6 campaign.

However, there are a few pieces that help crack the code of a successful Mike Gundy team. For one, experience at quarterback helps. All eight of Gundy’s 10-win seasons came under multi-year starters. A superstar wide receiver helps too — and Brennan Presley is back to take that role. Defensively, the middle of the pack is good enough. That will take some improvement from Bryan Nardo’s unit but it is possible.

Also, low expectations don’t hurt. Since 2009, Oklahoma State has been picked top 15 in the preseason AP Top 25 six times. Five times, the Pokes finished lower in the final poll, including two unranked finishes. The only exception was during the historic 2011 season.

Simply put, all the pieces are in place for another Mike Gundy special, despite the shockingly long odds. Then again, I doubt Oklahoma State is too worried about getting overlooked. It’s how the Cowboys live best.

10-win seasons under Mike Gundy

2023	10-4	Unranked Advertisement	16	Alan Bowman (1st)
2021	12-2	Unranked	7 Advertisement	Spencer Sanders (3rd)
2017	10-3	10	14	Mason Rudolph (3rd)
2016 Advertisement	10-3	21	11	Mason Rudolph (2nd)
2015	10-3 Advertisement	Unranked	20	Mason Rudolph (1st)
2013	10-3	13 Advertisement	17	Clint Chelf (2nd)
2011	12-1	9	3 Advertisement	Brandon Weeden (2nd)
2010	11-2	Unranked	13	Brandon Weeden (1st)

Oklahoma State when preseason ranked

2022 Advertisement	7-6	12	Unranked
2020	8-3 Advertisement	15	20 (-5)
2017	10-3	10 Advertisement	14 (-4)
2016	10-3	21	11 (+10)
2013	10-3	13	17 (-4) Advertisement
2012	8-5	19	Unranked
2011	12-1	9	3 (+6)
2009 Advertisement	9-4	9	Unranked

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Oklahoma

How to watch Oklahoma-Alabama in the College Football Playoff: TV/streaming info and more

Published

6 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

How to watch Oklahoma-Alabama in the College Football Playoff: TV/streaming info and more

For the second time this year, we’ll see Oklahoma and Alabama face off in a pivotal showdown.

The Sooners (10-2) will host the Crimson Tide (10-3) for a College Football Playoff showdown Friday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The last time these teams faced off, Oklahoma came away with a 23-21 win over Alabama on the road.

Will Oklahoma once again topple Alabama? Here’s everything fans should know about Oklahoma-Alabama in the CFP:

How to watch Oklahoma-Alabama in the CFP

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19

Where: Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Norman, Oklahoma)

TV: ABC/ESPN Streaming: ESPN app

A prime-time showdown

None of the four first-round College Football Playoff games overlap, but Alabama-Oklahoma really takes center stage.

With the other three games on Saturday, including Texas A&M-Miami, this game is the only one on Friday night and doesn’t overlap with any of Saturday’s NFL action like Tulane-Ole Miss and James Madison-Oregon do.

It shouldn’t be as cold as it has been lately in Norman, Okla., as early forecasts are expecting temperatures in the lower-50s and upper-40s on Friday. Combine that with a 7 p.m. kickoff that gives Oklahoma fans plenty of time to tailgate and get riled up for the game, and “The Palace on the Prairie” should be a sight to behold as it hosts its first CFP game.

Oklahoma-Alabama head-to-head

Oklahoma and Alabama have faced off eight times in the past. The Sooners lead the all-time series 5-2-1. As we mentioned above, Oklahoma won the latest matchup in the 2025 regular season.

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Find more Oklahoma coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

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Oklahoma

Children’s mental health facility reopens in Northeast Oklahoma

Published

18 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Children’s mental health facility reopens in Northeast Oklahoma

Moccasin Bend Ranch, a residential treatment program in Wyandotte, has reopened after a remodel, expanding access to specialized mental health services for children ages 5 to 12. Leaders say the program fills a critical gap in Oklahoma, where options for young children needing higher levels of care remain limited.

A unique approach for younger children

Moccasin Bend Ranch is a 28 bed psychiatric residential treatment facility set on 12 wooded acres. The unlocked campus is designed to give children access to outdoor play and nature, something leaders say is essential for younger patients.

“This setting allows our kids to act like kids,” said Christina Holum, interim chief executive officer at Willow Crest Hospital and Moccasin Bend Ranch. “Watching them play gives us a renewed sense of purpose. We are confident this change will lead to better outcomes and happier, healthier children.”

The ranch focuses exclusively on children, a distinction that sets it apart from many other programs across the state.

Why early treatment matters

Mental health leaders say many children referred to Moccasin Bend Ranch have already tried outpatient therapy and medication management without success. By the time families seek residential care, behaviors are often increasing in both frequency and intensity.

“If outpatient services are not working, families need somewhere to turn,” said Grant Linihan, vice president of business development for Vizion Health, which owns the facility. “If our program was not available, these, kids, where are they going to go to get treated?”

Linihan and Holum say early intervention can help children develop coping skills and emotional regulation before problems follow them into adolescence and adulthood.

Inside the treatment program

Children at Moccasin Bend Ranch receive a full schedule of therapeutic services, including individual therapy, family therapy and group sessions. The program also emphasizes recreational and expressive therapies to help children process trauma and build skills in a developmentally appropriate way.

Staff members work with families to plan for discharge, aiming to ensure continuity of care once a child returns home.

Making the holidays feel normal

For some children, the holiday season can be especially difficult. Leaders say the ranch makes a point to celebrate milestones and traditions, even while children are in treatment.

The facility hosts holiday meals, seasonal activities and visits from community volunteers, including a volunteer Santa. Children are also taken to see nearby holiday light displays.

“We try to get them to reshape their minds,” Linihan said. “Even though you’re with us, this is still going to be a joyous time for you.”

A broader mental health need in Oklahoma

Mental health providers say the need for pediatric services is tied to broader challenges across the state, including limited funding and access to care. They note that untreated mental health issues in childhood can contribute to long term struggles later in life.

“There will always be a need for this type of service for a certain group of children,” Holum said. “If they cannot get help early, their prognosis becomes much worse.”

How families can get help

Families who are concerned about a child’s mental health can contact Willow Crest Hospital or Moccasin Bend Ranch for a free phone intake. Staff members can help parents determine whether residential treatment is appropriate or if outpatient care may still be an option.

Willow Crest Hospital, also operated by Vizion Health, is a 50 bed acute inpatient psychiatric facility in Miami serving adolescents ages 9 to 17. Together, the programs serve families from across Oklahoma, including hundreds of children from Tulsa County each year.

For more information, families can call (918) 542-1836 to speak with an intake specialist. You can also find their website here.

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Former Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops announces retirement

Published

1 day ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Former Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops announces retirement

Bob Stoops’ coaching career appears to be over. For real, this time.

The former Oklahoma football coach, who led the Sooners to a national championship in 2000, said Monday he would be retiring from coaching. Stoops had spent the previous three years as coach of the the United Football League’s Arlington Renegades.

“After much thought and reflection, I’ve made the decision to retire from coaching and step away from the game of football,” Stoops said in a statement released by the UFL. “Coaching has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and closing this chapter comes with lots of gratitude. …Thank you for allowing me to be part of this incredible game for so many years.”

Stoops’ first and only head-coaching job at the Division I level came at Oklahoma. He took over ahead of the 1999 season and stayed through 2016. OU went 190-48 overall while only suffering three-or-more defeats in Big 12 play four times. The Sooners’ 2001 Orange Bowl win capped 13-0 season and gave Oklahoma its first national title since 1985.

A native of Youngstown, Ohio, Stoops took over coaching Oklahoma after serving three years as Florida’s defensive coordinator. He retired from job at OU in June 2017, but lasted less than two calendar years as he was drawn to coaching the Dallas Renegades in the XFL.

The league folded in part because of the COVID pandemic before OU called on him again to serve as interim coach for the 2021 Alamo Bowl after Lincoln Riley left to coach Southern California. After that, he rejoind the Renegades, now rebranded as the Arlington Renegades in the UFL.

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