Oklahoma State has been one of the best programs in college football, but a playoff spot has eluded the Cowboys.

Since the College Football Playoff was introduced in the 2014 season, OSU has come close but has never made the top four of the final rankings. As the CFP expands to 12 teams next season, the chance of making a playoff spot has never been higher for the Cowboys.

Although OSU has been on the outside looking in, the past decade has seen some of the best teams in school history. Although some of those teams were left out of a four-team playoff, some would have had no issues making a 12-team field.

Recent OSU teams that would have made a 12-team playoff:

Perhaps the closest any OSU team has been to the College Football Playoff, OSU was No. 5 going into the Big 12 Championship and a win might have pushed the Cowboys into the top four. However, Dezmon Jackson’s dive for the goal line left the Cowboys inches away from glory and resulted in a trip to the Fiesta Bowl, where they beat No. 5 Notre Dame.

As one of the best defenses in the country, Jim Knowles’ group helped the Cowboys have one of their best seasons in the Mike Gundy era. Meanwhile, Spencer Sanders and Jaylen Warren headlined a diverse OSU offense.

In a hypothetical 12-team playoff, OSU would have traveled to Ole Miss for a first-round matchup.

READ MORE: OSU Football: Does the Big 12 Need Divisions Again?

After a tumultuous start to the season that included a loss to Central Michigan, OSU went on a seven-game winning streak heading into Bedlam. Although OSU lost in the de facto Big 12 Championship, it still managed a 10-win season with an Alamo Bowl victory against Colorado.

Mason Rudolph, James Washington and Justice Hill led the Cowboys’ electric offense throughout the season. In a 12-team field, OSU would have been the last team in and traveled to play Ohio State in the first round.

Although some teams were playoff-caliber in 2015 and 2017, injuries and disappointing losses also derailed the Cowboys’ hopes of making a 12-team playoff. But in 2024, OSU will have its best opportunity yet to flip the script and make it to the biggest stage of the college football postseason.

READ MORE: On This Date: OSU Baseball Clinches Trip to 2016 College World Series

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OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma’s primary election early voting begins Thursday.

On the ballot will be races for the U.S. House of Representatives, the state Senate and the state House. The Corporation Commissioner race, also on the ballot, will be the only state-wide election.

In the U.S. House elections, three of the five races will see challengers to incumbents. One of the more wholy contested is District 4, where U.S. Rep. Tom Cole is campaigning for re-election against Paul Bondar, who has made headlines over questions about his residency. Both are Republicans. Other Republicans in the race are Andrew Hayes, Nick Hankins and Rick Whitebear Harris.

Of the 26 races for the state Senate, 10 incumbents face primary challengers. Incumbents in 23 House races face primary challengers.

Several races in the state House and Senate have open seats because their current officeholders are terming out. Lawmakers are limited to 12 years.

Several candidates face no challenger in the primary, but will have an opponent in the Nov. 5 general election.

State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said he doesn’t have a prediction for what this year’s early voting turnout will look like.

“In-person absentee voting, aka ‘early voting,’ for the primary election starts Thursday, so we don’t know what that will be like yet,” Ziriax said in a statement.

However, Ziriax pointed to the March presidential preferential primary as a point of comparison.

Republicans had an increase of about 25% in the presidential preferential primary from 2020 to 2024 for in-person absentee voting. Democrats had a decrease of about 72% from 2020 to 2024. Libertarians had 17 votes cast in 2024 after not having a race in 2020.

Oklahoma is a closed-party state, meaning voters may only cast a ballot for their registered party. The Democratic party, however, is allowing independents to vote in its primary.

Early voting is open Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Election Day – June 18 – polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The primary runoff election will be held Aug. 27.

Identity must be shown with photo identification, a county election board voter identification card or an affidavit with provisional ballot.

Voters can cast ballots at their designated early voting locations.

Oklahoma’s Tribal Task Force published its final report with recommendations on how the state and tribes can improve how they work together to enforce the law.

Tuesday’s report came as a result of that December incident.

A Lighthorse police officer took a non-tribal citizen to the Okmulgee County jail.

The jailer refused to accept the person, saying the tribal officer didn’t have jurisdiction to make the arrest.

This led to a scuffle that was caught on camera.

Gov. Kevin Stitt then formed a task force and asked members to develop what he called long-term solutions.

The governor says US Supreme Court rulings on tribal sovereignty leave too many questions up in the air.

The task force met five times between January and May.

It says cross-deputization agreements-which allow county or municipal law enforcement to make tribal arrests and vice versa-haven’t changed since 2005.

The task force says the state and tribes should look at adding new parts to the agreements, like sharing jails, revenue, and criminal history of people arrested.

The tribes were offered a chance to sit on the task force but refused.

Task force members say they talked with tribal representatives throughout the process.

It’s now up to the state and tribes to decide whether to act on any of the recommendations.