On paper, Oklahoma State sure seems like the type of team that could make a run at their first College Football Playoff appearance and first Big 12 championship since 2011.
Oklahoma State returns 21 starters in 2024 — 10 on offense, 10 on defense and the punter.
It’s the second-most returning starters for any Power Five team, trailing only Virginia Tech with 22 starters. The Cowboys went 10-4 in 2023 and capped the season with a 31-23 win over Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl.
Leading the way for the returning starters is running back Ollie Gordon II, who won the Doak Walker Award in 2023 as the nation’s top college running back. Gordon put up 2,052 yards of total offense and 22 touchdowns — 1,732 rushing yards and 330 receiving yards.
Oklahoma State opens the season on Aug. 31 at home against two-time defending FCS national champion South Dakota State.