Join News 9 Sports Reporter Chris Williams and News On 6 Sports Director John Holcomb for this week’s edition of Oklahoma Ford Sports

Sunday, July 7th 2024, 8:54 pm

By:

News On 6,

News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY –

This week on the Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz, Chris Williams and John Holcomb begin the show with their opening takes. 

OKC Thunder Offseason Update

OSU Football Offseason Update

OU Football Offseason Update

Viewer Question

Play The Percentages

At a time in college sports where player movement is more prevalent than ever, Oklahoma State’s football team might be an anomaly.

Head coach Mike Gundy comes into his 20th season with the Cowboys and they are loaded with experience and returning starters.

With 10 starters back on offense and 10 on defense, Oklahoma State could be the best team in the Big 12 and one of the top teams in the country.

This summer, BuffZone is previewing each of Colorado’s opponents for the 2024 season and in this final installment we look at Oklahoma State, which will visit Boulder for the season finale on Nov. 29.

Gundy, a former OSU quarterback, went 4-7 in his first season leading the Cowboys (2005), but has taken them to 18 consecutive bowl games since then. It’s the sixth-longest active bowl streak, with only Georgia, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Alabama and Clemson enjoying longer streaks.

This season, the Cowboys return almost everybody from a team that went 10-4 last year and played in the Big 12 title game.

“It was really fun this spring to move quickly through terminology from a football standpoint,” Gundy said recently in an interview with ESPN. “Last year we had 28 new players.”

One of those new players last year was quarterback Alan Bowman, who transferred in from Michigan. Bowman wound up as the starter, but not until after the Cowboys used three different quarterbacks early.

The Cowboys averaged just 29.6 points per game last year, the first time they finished under 30 since 2014. Gundy feels that will improve with Bowman back and firmly entrenched as the starter.

“We put a lot on our quarterbacks,” he said. “We ask them to put us in the best situation. We’ll have more availability with that this fall than we did last year because we were rotating guys through. Bowman has come though and had a terrific spring for us. He now understands our system. I think he’s very comfortable in communication and understanding where we want to attack the defense.”

It certainly helps that Bowman can hand off to last year’s Big 12 offensive player of the year, running back Ollie Gordon II, and has the entire offensive line back.

The receiver room is stacked, too, with Brennan Presley (101 catches last year) leading the way. The Cowboys should also get a boost from De’Zhaun Stribling. A transfer from Washington State last year, he missed the last 11 games with an injury. In two seasons at WSU, he caught 95 passes for 1,073 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Defensively last year the Cowboys were 10th in the Big 12 in points allowed (28.6) and last in yards allowed (441.8). Ten players with starting experience are back, though, including a pair of linebackers – Nick Martin and Collins Oliver – who are among the best in the Big 12.

OSU will lean on its defensive line, led by nose tackle Justin Kirkland, to take some steps forward in order for the defense to improve as a whole.

Under Gundy, the Cowboys have been a virtual lock to post a winning season and get to a bowl. But, with a boatload of experience on both sides of the ball, the Cowboys are gunning for much more than just getting to the postseason. A Big 12 title and spot in the expanded college football playoff are realistic goals.

“We all know that we have the potential to be really good, so we just got to put the work in, come together as one and we’re going to be really good,” Bowman said during spring practices.

“Obviously we’re coming back to do one thing and that’s to win a Big 12 championship and to make the College Football Playoff. I think that’s the goal that everybody has, to take what we learned last year and use everything that we’ve done to be able to launch us forward into (this season).”

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Head coach: Mike Gundy, 20th season (166-79)

2023 season: 10-4, 7-2 Big 12; Beat Texas A&M in Texas Bowl

Series with CU: Buffs lead 26-20-1

The Game

Who: Oklahoma State at Colorado Buffaloes

When: Friday, Nov. 29, 10 a.m. MT (ABC)

Where: Folsom Field in Boulder

5 Guys to Watch

QB Alan Bowman: A transfer from Michigan a year ago, he started 13 games and completed 60.7% of his passes for 3,460 yards, 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also ran for two touchdowns. In his collegiate career, he has thrown for 8,789 yards and 49 touchdowns.

RB Ollie Gordon II: The offensive player of the year in the Big 12 in 2023, he led the country with 1,732 rushing yards and was second in rushing touchdowns (21). He was also a big part of the passing game, finishing third on the team with 39 receptions for 330 yards.

LB Nick Martin: A first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2023, he ranked sixth nationally with 140 tackles, while also record 16 tackles for loss, six sacks and two interceptions.

LB Collin Oliver: Named by the media as a preseason choice for the All-Big 12 team. Last year, he was second-team all-conference after posting 73 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, six sacks, five pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.

WR Brennan Presley: The 5-foot-8, 160-pound senior is the go-to target for Bowman. Last year, he caught 101 passes (tied for third nationally) for 991 yards and six touchdowns, while also handling punt and kick return duties. In his career, he has 225 catches for 2,548 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Good to know

• CU and OSU were previously conference rivals from 1960-2010. The two teams met every year from 1960-1997. CU’s last win in the series came in 2005. OSU has won the last three meetings, matching its longest win streak in the series.

• Oklahoma State made its first-ever Big 12 title game appearance in 2021 (losing to Baylor) and made a return trip last year (losing to Texas). OSU is the only team to reach the title game twice in the last three years.

• Quarterback Alan Bowman will be in his seventh season of college football, as he was granted a medical hardship waiver for a season-ending injury three games into the 2019 season. He played three seasons at Texas Tech (2018-20) and was a seven-game starter as a true freshman. He made 16 starts with the Red Raiders before playing two seasons (2021-22) at Michigan, where he threw just 11 passes.

• In 2023, Oklahoma State reached the 10-win mark for the eighth time in the last 14 seasons (2010-23). From 1901-2009, OSU had just three 10-win seasons.

• Last year, seven different offensive linemen combined for 70 starts, with each of them getting at least three starts. All seven are back for the Cowboys, including preseason first-team All-Big 12 choices Dalton Cooper (tackle) and Joe Michalski (center).

• While the Cowboys are loaded with returning starters, they will have a new kicker. Alex Hale, was second-team All-Big 12 last year, has graduated. Junior Logan Ward is taking over those duties. He has been the kickoff specialist the last two years, handled punting duties in 2022 and was 7-for-7 on extra points last year.

• Punter Hudson Kaak is back. He averaged 39.7 yards per kick last year, landing 20 of his 38 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.

Portal movement

OSU lost 11 players to the transfer portal, only one of which who started last year: receiver Jaden Bray, who caught 30 passes for 382 yards and is now at West Virginia. The other key loss was cornerback DJ McKinney (38 tackles, five pass breakups), now at CU. Running back Jaden Nixon and receiver Blaine Green (Stephen F. Austin) were also contributors last year. The Cowboys have added eight scholarship players through the portal, mainly to fill out some depth. Running back Trent Howland rushed for 354 yards at Indiana last year, while AJ Green ran for 951 yards in three seasons at Arkansas. At receiver Gavin Freeman (Oklahoma) and Da’Wain Lofton (Virginia Tech) should be in the rotation. Defensive end Obi Ezeigbo (Gannon University) could be a solid addition up front.

OKLAHOMA CITY — This Presidential disaster declaration allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

Impacted Area: Oklahoma

Triggering Disaster: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 and continuing

Application Deadline: December 19, 2024

Primary Counties Eligible: Hughes, Love, Murray

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Oklahoma: Carter, Coal, Garvin, Jefferson, Johnston, McIntosh, Marshall, Okfuskee, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Seminole

Texas: Cooke, Grayson, Montague

Disaster 1, Amendment 1: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 and continuing

Application Deadline: January 3, 2025

Primary Counties Eligible: Carter

Contiguous Counties: Garvin, Jefferson, Johnston, Love, Marshall, Murray, Stephens

Disaster 1, Amendment 2: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 and continuing

Application Deadline: January 7, 2025

Primary Counties Eligible: Okmulgee

Contiguous Counties: Creek, McIntosh, Muskogee, Okfuskee, Tulsa, Wagoner

Disaster 1, Amendment 3: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 and continuing

Application Deadline: January 9, 2025

Primary Counties Eligible: Osage, Pontotoc

Contiguous Counties Eligible: 

Kansas: Chautauqua, Cowley

Oklahoma: Coal, Garvin, Hughes, Johnston, Kay, McClain, Murray, Noble, Pawnee, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Tulsa, Washington

Disaster 1, Amendment 4: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 and continuing

Incident Period: April 24, 2024 through May 9. 2024 (changed from April 24, 2024, and continuing).

Disaster 1, Amendment 5: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 through May 9, 2024.

Application Deadline: January 13, 2025

Primary Counties: Washita

Contiguous Counties: Beckham, Caddo, Custer, Kiowa

Disaster 1, Amendment 6: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 through May 9, 2024.

Application Deadline: January 16, 2025

Primary Counties: Cotton

Contiguous Counties: 

Oklahoma: Comanche, Jefferson, Stephens, Tillman

Texas: Clay, Wichita

Disaster 1, Amendment 7: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 through May 9, 2024.

Application Deadline: January 17, 2025 Primary Counties: Johnston, Pittsburg, Tillman

Contiguous Counties:

Oklahoma:  Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Haskell, Hughes, Jackson, Kiowa, Latimer, McIntosh, Marshall, Murray, Pontotoc, Pushmataha

Texas: Wichita, Wilbarger

Disaster 1, Amendment 8: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 through May 9, 2024.

Application Deadline: January 22, 2025

Primary Counties: Kay, Lincoln, Okfuskee, Pottawatomie, Washington

Contiguous Counties:

Kansas: Chautauqua, Cowley, Montgomery, Sumner

Oklahoma: Cleveland, Creek, Garfield, Grant, Hughes, Logan, McClain, McIntosh, Noble, Nowata, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Payne, Pontotoc, Rogers, Seminole, Tulsa

Disaster 1, Amendment 10: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 through May 9, 2024

Application Deadline: January 28, 2025

Primary Counties: Coal, Haskell

Contiguous Counties: Atoka, Hughes, Johnston, Latimer, Le Flore, McIntosh, Muskogee, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Sequoyah

Disaster 1, Amendment 11: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 through May 9, 2024

Application Deadline: February 12, 2025

Primary Counties: Craig, McClain, Nowata, Ottawa

Contiguous County: Johnston

Disaster 1, Amendment 12: Severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on April 24, 2024 through May 9, 2024

Application Deadline: February 12, 2025

Primary Counties: Seminole, Wagoner

Contiguous Counties: Cherokee, Hughes, Mayes, Muskogee, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Rogers, Tulsa

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local  USDA Service Center.

FEMA offers different assistance programs for individual citizens, public groups including government agencies and private nonprofit organizations.  To find the FEMA help you need following a disaster event, visit fema.gov/assistance.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

–USDA FSA Oklahoma