ESPN analyst Greg McElroy breaks out his college football crystal ball and hints at Oklahoma State’s potential to be a college football sleeper team in 2026 — Are the Cowboys poised to make that kind of dark horse run?
As the transfer portal dust has settled and spring college football practice schedules have been released, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy has spotlighted Oklahoma State as a potential dark horse for the 2026 College Football Playoff.
On his “Always College Football” podcast, McElroy highlighted the Cowboys’ rapid rebuild under new head coach Eric Morris, emphasizing the team’s influx of talent and the Big 12’s structure that favors quick turnarounds.
“Oklahoma State is one of the most interesting rebuild to relevance candidates because it’s not just the new coach, with Eric Morris coming up from North Texas,” McElroy said.
He praised Morris for bringing a proven offensive system and key players from his successful stint at North Texas, where the Mean Green went 12-2 and reached the AAC Championship in 2025.
McElroy’s optimism stems from Oklahoma State’s poor recent performance, providing a major contrast for potential improvement.
The Cowboys stumbled to a 3-9 record in 2024, leading to the departure of longtime coach Mike Gundy, and hit rock bottom with a 1-11 mark in 2025.
Hired in late November 2025 with a $3.8 million salary, Morris, a former Texas Tech quarterback who honed his skills at Incarnate Word (24-18 record over four seasons) and as Washington State’s offensive coordinator, is a fresh start for Morris and for Oklahoma State. Morris’ track record includes developing talents like eventual No. 1 NFL Draft pick Cam Ward.
Central to McElroy’s case is Oklahoma State’s quarterback situation. “The Big 12 structure can allow for a bit of a fast rise if you have great quarterback play, and Morris’s entire bet is that the quarterback play is the shortcut. They’re going to be good at quarterback; we know that for sure,” he explained.
“Now, can it be sustained week in and week out? That’s what we have to find out. But, this is a team that absolutely qualifies as a sleeper given some of the pieces that had success last year in Denton, Texas, with the Mean Green.”
Leading the charge is transfer quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who followed Morris from North Texas after throwing for 4,379 yards, 34 touchdowns, and a nation-leading 68.9% completion rate in 2025.
Backing McElroy’s prediction is Oklahoma State’s aggressive use of the transfer portal, earning the seventh-ranked class nationally according to 247Sports, with 54 incoming transfers, nearly a third from North Texas.
This massive portal grab solves some of the roster deficiencies that plagued the team in recent years. Standouts include running back Caleb Hawkins, ranked as the top transfer RB by some analysts, and wide receiver Wyatt Young, both expected to challenge Big 12 defenses immediately.
The Cowboys also improved trench depth with nine offensive and defensive linemen from Power Four programs, adding experience to a unit that ranked near the bottom in key defensive statistics last season.
CBS Sports shared a similar view in its coaching carousel grades, awarding Morris an A for the hire and noting, “The Cowboys arguably had the weakest roster in the Power Four last year, but Morris brings quarterback Drew Mestemaker and others with him. Improvement should be immediate, and promised resources to build around him add optimism.”
Other major sources agree on Oklahoma State’s sleeper potential. CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah called Oklahoma State “the Big 12 sleeper” in his power rankings, citing the “superstar-studded North Texas roster” integration and elite transfers like Mestemaker and Hawkins, who “will compete to be the best in the conference from Day 1.”
In a piece on potential CFP newcomers, CBS noted the Cowboys’ top-10 transfer class per 247Sports could “completely erase” memories of the 2025 debacle, though success hinges on cohesion in the competitive Big 12.
The Athletic graded OSU’s portal haul highly, praising general manager Raj Murti and Morris for importing 16 players from their 12-win North Texas squad.
Oklahoma State’s 2026 schedule offers opportunities for momentum, with home games against playoff-caliber teams like Oregon and Texas Tech, but also matchups against six Big 12 teams who posted losing records or skipped bowls in 2025.
If Morris’s offense clicks and the transfers gel, the Cowboys could leap from one-win irrelevance to playoff contention, validating McElroy’s hot take-esque forecast.
You can find Greg McElroy’s Always College Football podcast episode below:
