ESPN analyst Greg McElroy believes Oklahoma State will face the toughest schedule in the Big 12 this season.
During a recent segment, McElroy outlined a slate that leaves little room for error and could see the Cowboys enter nearly every matchup as underdogs.
“In the Big 12, the toughest schedule goes to Oklahoma State,” McElroy said. “It is a very real possibility that when you go through the schedule, Oklahoma State could be an underdog in as many as 10 games. Now, we will see how things all shake out, but here in the preseason, they are going to be favored against Tennessee-Martin in Week 1. They are going to be favored against Tulsa on the 19th of September.”
From there, the path becomes significantly more difficult. A non-conference trip to Oregon headlines the early portion of the schedule, while Big 12 play offers no breaks. Oklahoma State will host Baylor and Cincinnati and travel to Arizona, Texas Tech, and Kansas. The Cowboys also finish the season with Kansas State, UCF on the road, and Iowa State at home.
McElroy described it as “an absolute gauntlet of a schedule” and emphasized that the Cowboys’ ability to respond will depend on how quickly they can regain their footing after last year’s disappointing conference run. Oklahoma State failed to win a Big 12 game in 2024, and while the roster has been retooled, the level of competition appears unforgiving.
Mike Gundy’s program has long been known for resilience, and that trait will be tested again in 2025. If Oklahoma State finds a way to navigate this stretch with consistency, it will not go unnoticed. The question is whether a rebuilt team is ready for the grind that McElroy believes is the most difficult road in the conference.
