The college football world is just getting over the firing of DeShaun Foster from UCLA. Here comes Mike Gundy, whose head coaching job is hanging by a thin thread, almost on the verge of snapping. It’s only been three weeks into the 2025 season, and the Oklahoma State Cowboys already have two losses. Now that’s the case for a lot of other teams too. Then what makes Gundy’s seat hotter? The reason is that the Cowboys have hit a drought as 301 days have passed since they last scored an FBS touchdown.

On September 19, Kyle Cox landed a wake-up call for the Cowboys fanbase: “#OKState has not scored a touchdown against an FBS defense since November 23, 2024.” That game was against Texas Tech. This shows the team has a crumbling offense. By now, it’s no longer a mistake, it has become a pattern for Gundy’s squad.   

Talking about this season, the Cowboys’ game against the Oregon Ducks might have pushed all the hopes for Oklahoma State out the door. Thanks to their lacklustre offense. Gundy made wholesale changes at the coordinator spots. He brought in two longtime assistants, Doug Meacham, and Todd Grantham. Yet, against Dan Lanning’s squad, Gundy’s offense fell apart as they struggled to get the ball. The Cowboys accounted for 212 yards of total offense, while only scoring on a 23-yard field goal from Logan Ward in the second quarter. 

While hopes loomed high for their starting quarterback, Zane Flores, he didn’t have the fairytale start. He only threw for 67 yards and completed only 7 of his 19 passing attempts. Gundy’s quarterback came up with two interceptions both returned for touchdowns by Peyton Woodyard and Jerry Mixon on consecutive plays in the third quarter. Just when the fans thought that the Oregon game might be the worst they have seen, Gundy and co. came with a new surprise, and their bar just hit lower.

Here came what appears as the last blow for Gundy. The Cowboys took an L against Tulsa, with a score of 12-19, in Stillwater. This was their first loss to Tulsa, at home, since 1951. Talking about their last loss in history? CBS Sports writer Shehan Jeyarajah gave an idea of how many decades have passed: “Harry Truman was president. Cold, Cold Heart by Tony Bennett was the No. 1 song. An American in Paris was the No. 1 film. The NBA was five years old. Mike Gundy would not be born for 16 more years.”

Will Mike Gundy’s second chance become his last? 

The question remains what takes the Cowboys so much time to drop the axe on Gundy’s head. Well, it’s obvious for them to be in two minds. Gundy is also the Cowboys’ all-time winningest coach, posting a 169-88 record during his time in Stillwater. But maybe the past is not enough to stop the waters from rising and flowing above Gundy’s head. 

Gundy is already on his second chance. Last December, the Oklahoma State Board of Regents had put him in “standoff,” but then agreed to a contract extension in January this year. His buyout has been set at $15 million if he is terminated without cause before Dec. 31, 2027, per The Oklahoman. From Jan. 1, 2028 onwards, his buyout is reduced to $10 million. Has Gundy accepted what’s coming for him in the near future?

Back in July, the head coach made a painful confession. “I’m so far along in my career, I get it. And then ultimately if somebody says, ‘Hey, you know what? We need to change at Oklahoma State coaching-wise,’ then I’ll go coach somewhere else,” said Mike Gundy. Let’s see if Oklahoma State waits for the season to wrap up to lay Gundy off, or pulls the trigger early like the UCLA Bruins.