This season was supposed to be different for Oklahoma State. After more than two decades under coach Mike Gundy, there was finally fresh blood tasked with turning things around.
Eric Morris took over a Cowboys program that had lost 11 games in a row and its last 20 to FBS opponents. The wonders he worked at North Texas, which led the nation in scoring a season ago, earned him a Power 4 job. Dozens of Mean Green players followed Morris to Oklahoma State, a model that worked well for Curt Cignetti at Indiana.
Expectations varied for the Cowboys. They may not go undefeated like the Hoosiers did, but at least they would be better than the Oklahoma State team that won one game the season prior. There was even cautious optimism that they could make some noise in the Big 12…