Mike Gundy Fired After 21 Seasons at Oklahoma State

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The Mike Gundy era at Oklahoma State has officially come to an end. The university announced Tuesday that the longtime head coach has been fired just three games into the 2025 season, bringing an abrupt close to a tenure that spanned more than two decades. Gundy leaves Stillwater as the winningest coach in program history, but a disastrous 3–9 record in 2024 and an early 1–2 stumble this fall proved too much for the administration to overlook.
During his 21 seasons in charge, Gundy transformed Oklahoma State from a middle-tier Big 12 program into a national contender. He racked up 170 wins, delivered eight double-digit win seasons, and routinely had the Cowboys ranked inside the Top 25. At their peak, Oklahoma State was considered a model of consistency in a league often dominated by Texas and Oklahoma. Yet the last 18 months told a different story, as the Cowboys dropped 11 of their last 12 games dating back to last season, including a stunning loss to Tulsa this September that amplified growing frustrations among fans and boosters.
The decision to part ways was also made easier by Gundy’s restructured contract. The deal included a flat buyout that made a move financially feasible, something that previously protected him from serious hot-seat conversations. With the losses piling up and the program seemingly sliding further from Big 12 contention, Oklahoma State pulled the trigger.

Offensive coordinator Doug Meacham has been tabbed as the interim head coach, and his first few games in charge will likely serve as an audition for whether he can steady the program. Still, the challenges ahead are steep. The Cowboys have already lost recruiting momentum, with at least one commit backing away from his pledge, and the uncertainty around the staff will make it difficult to hold together a class in the middle of the season. For a program that has prided itself on player development and consistent recruiting, stability will be critical.
The next chapter of Oklahoma State football is still unwritten, but it is clear the university wants a reset. The new coach will inherit a roster that has struggled with both offensive identity and defensive lapses, along with the pressure of living up to the standard Gundy set in his prime years. While the Cowboys faithful may demand a quick turnaround, the rebuild could take time.
Gundy’s firing marks the end of one of the most significant coaching runs in Big 12 history. He turned Oklahoma State into a consistent winner and gave the program national credibility. But as the Cowboys move on, the focus shifts to whether they can recapture that edge in an era where change is constant, expectations are high, and the margin for error in college football has never been smaller.