Pressure is a part of being a Power Four college football coach. It’s constant: pressure to manage the roster, pressure to raise money, and, most importantly, pressure to win games and championships. FB Schedules is counting down the most demanding schedules for coaches on the proverbial hot seat with the most pressure to win in 2025, and No. 13 is Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma State Interim President Puts Mike Gundy Back on Hot Seat + WRU … https://t.co/VCaC1VPlwt via @YouTube pic.twitter.com/AMm6qFNbZf
— OState AD (@AlldayOstate) February 7, 2025
Why is Mike Gundy on the Hot Seat?
Mike Gundy enters the 2025 season at a career crossroads. After nearly two decades at the helm in Stillwater, the longtime Oklahoma State head coach is coming off his worst season yet — a dismal 3-9 campaign that saw the Cowboys fail to win a single Big 12 game. It was a stunning collapse for a program that had opened the year with genuine expectations of competing for a conference title and possibly a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff.
Rather than part ways with Gundy outright, Oklahoma State opted for a compromise: keep the veteran coach in place, but under new terms. Following tense post-season deliberations about his future, Gundy agreed to a revised four-year contract significantly reducing his compensation. His salary dropped by $1 million, down to $6.75 million annually, and the new deal now runs through the 2028 season. The renegotiated agreement was approved by the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents and reflects the growing urgency within the program to produce results quickly.
The contract also includes added responsibilities beyond the field. At the request of Athletic Director Chad Weiberg, Gundy is expected to play a larger role in fundraising efforts and donor engagement — an acknowledgment that leadership in today’s college football landscape requires more than wins and losses. Additionally, there’s now a clause calling for Gundy to assist in identifying and preparing a possible successor, suggesting the administration is preparing for a transition, whether that happens in one year or four.
The financial terms of his buyout were also adjusted. Should Oklahoma State choose to move on from Gundy, the university would owe him $15 million if the decision comes within the next three years and $10 million in the final year of the agreement, far more defined than his previous deal, which offered a percentage-based payout.
The Ideal Path to Redemption
What is the one advantage Gundy has going into 2025? A schedule that gives him a legitimate shot to get back on track. Oklahoma State plays five of its first seven games at home, offering a prime opportunity to build confidence early. The Cowboys open against UT Martin, an FCS team that should pose little threat. From there, they head to Oregon for a daunting matchup against a team expected to be in the national championship hunt. That game aside, the non-league schedule wraps with Tulsa, a program under new leadership and in the early stages of rebuilding.
The conference slate begins favorably. The first Big 12 opponent is Baylor, another team navigating uncertainty with Dave Aranda under pressure for mixed results during his tenure in Waco. That game, along with early matchups against Arizona (road), Houston (home), and Cincinnati (home), features programs that all struggled last season and are still finding their footing. Arizona, Houston, and Cincinnati were a combined 13-23 a year ago. If Oklahoma State takes care of business in that stretch, a start between 4-3 and 6-1 is realistic and essential.
Things stiffen considerably in the second half of the season. Ranked opponents such as Texas Tech, Kansas State, and Iowa State will be more formidable challenges, but at least Gundy’s team gets the Cyclones and the Wildcats at home. Texas Tech has spent majorly on the transfer portal talent, and it will be a challenging road game. Additionally, road trips to Kansas and UCF won’t offer much relief. Still, with the early part of the schedule providing a clear runway for success, Gundy can rack up wins and momentum before the late-season gauntlet begins.
In short, the schedule is designed to give this Oklahoma State team — and its embattled head coach — every opportunity to reclaim momentum. Whether or not they can capitalize will determine Gundy’s fate.
The pressure has never been more real for a coach who once seemed unshakably secure in Stillwater. Oklahoma State has not won a game since September of last year, and after the program’s 18-year streak of bowl appearances came to a crashing halt, expectations have been recalibrated. Simply reaching six wins and securing a postseason berth may be enough to keep Gundy around. But if you fail to reach that mark, the university’s contingency plans may be implemented.
More from our series on Hot Seat Coaches in 2025:
It’s must, Must for My Oklahoma State Cowboys to have big time winning season in 25.
Oklahoma State will bounce back. Gundy is too good of a coach to have another bad season and is most successful when he doesn´t have expectations.