In a wild swing for college football, Oklahoma State University just set a new national record for outgoing transfer players in a single offseason. The Cowboys lost an eye-popping 64 players to the transfer portal, blowing past the previous record held by Colorado.
This huge turnover follows a rough season and a shakeup at the top, with new head coach Eric Morris arriving from North Texas. Despite the mass exit, Oklahoma State managed to pull in 54 new players through the portal, including some real standouts from North Texas.
The Transfer Portal Exodus
The transfer portal has become a major force in college football, letting players chase fresh starts and programs rebuild on the fly. For Oklahoma State, it was both a headache and a lifeline this offseason.
Losing 64 players set a new high-water mark nationwide. Colorado had held the previous record, losing 56 players before the 2023 season under Deion Sanders.
Factors Behind the Mass Departure
So, what went wrong? Oklahoma State stumbled through the 2025 season, finishing at a brutal 1-11. That led to the early firing of longtime head coach Mike Gundy, who’d been with the Cowboys for two decades.
Gundy was out just three games into the season, opening the transfer portal early for players itching to leave. The second portal window in January made it even easier for guys to plot their next move after such a rough year.
The mix of a bad record and a coaching change set the stage for a tidal wave of departures.
New Leadership and New Beginnings
Eric Morris, fresh from North Texas, is stepping into the chaos. He’s got a reputation for offensive fireworks, having led the top-scoring offense in college football in 2025. North Texas nearly crashed the College Football Playoff party from the Group of Five, which says a lot about Morris’s coaching chops.
Key Additions from North Texas
Morris didn’t show up alone. He brought 17 players from North Texas, including some who could change everything:
- Drew Mestemaker: Quarterback, led the nation in passing yards last season—4,379 as a redshirt freshman. That’s no small feat.
- Wyatt Young: Wide receiver, pulled in 70 catches for 1,264 yards and 10 touchdowns.
- Caleb Hawkins: Running back, racked up 1,434 yards and topped college football with 25 rushing touchdowns.
These guys aren’t just filler—they’re proven, and they’re hungry.
Rebuilding the Roster
Losing 64 players is a gut punch, but Oklahoma State didn’t just sit back. They’ve added 54 new faces through the transfer portal, making them one of the busiest programs out there.
Strategic Acquisitions
Some of the new arrivals are expected to make noise right away:
- Five linemen from North Texas: Bolstering both sides of the trenches.
- 13 other linemen: Six on defense, seven on offense—lots of fresh bodies, lots of options.
The hope is these moves will patch the holes from last season and make the team a real contender again.
The Challenges Ahead
Even with all this new talent, Morris has his work cut out for him. Integrating so many transfers into a single, functioning unit isn’t easy.
Jumping from the Group of Five to a Power Four conference? That’s a serious step up in competition. Morris and his players will need to adapt, fast.
Building Chemistry
Getting everyone on the same page is probably priority number one. With so many new faces, building trust and a sense of team will take time—and maybe a little luck.
Can Morris recreate the offensive fireworks he managed at North Texas? The Big 12 is a different animal, with tougher defenses and deeper rosters. He’ll have to tweak his playbook, no doubt.
Looking Forward
The 2026 season feels like a crossroads for Oklahoma State. After a 1-11 slog and a roster overhaul, the pressure’s on. Eyes will be on the new guys—especially those North Texas transfers—to see if they can spark a turnaround.
Potential for Success
There’s reason for cautious optimism. Mestemaker, Young, Hawkins—if they click, that’s a strong foundation. But it’s all about whether Morris can get everyone rowing in the same direction.
The aggressive use of the transfer portal shows the program isn’t content to just ride out the storm. Maybe this bold approach will catch on elsewhere. Or maybe it’ll just be a wild experiment. Either way, it’s going to be interesting.
Conclusion
Oklahoma State’s record-breaking dive into the transfer portal is turning heads across college football. It’s not every day you see a program flip the script so dramatically.
After a tough season and a coaching shakeup, the Cowboys are going all-in on a fresh start. There’s a lot riding on how this new roster gels, and honestly, who isn’t at least a little curious to see if Eric Morris can bring his North Texas magic to Stillwater?
For more on this wild offseason and what’s next for Oklahoma State football, check out the full article on Sports Illustrated.
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