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Oklahoma State football players like RB Ollie Gordon will have QR codes on their helmets for fans to scan and donate to the team fund
The Oklahoma State Cowboys have a handful of 2025 NFL Draft prospects set to play this college season. Thanks to an interesting wrinkle, those prospects–like all Cowboys players–will have something innovative on their helmets.
Oklahoma State revealed that all of their helmets will feature a scannable QR code on the back. Scanning the code with a mobile device will take folks to the football team’s general fund.
Say you’re inspired by RB Ollie Gordon breaking off one of his signature big plays that makes Gordon one of the higher-rated backs in the coming draft cycle. Now you can instantly scan the QR code and donate directly, like a GoFundMe sort of NIL package.
Oklahoma State players will wear QR codes on the back of their helmets that link to the general team fund.
Mike Gundy: “This is a revolutionary step forward to help keep Oklahoma State football ahead of the game. It gives a chance for everyday fans across the world to have a… pic.twitter.com/5YDfq21iVA
Something new in Stillwater, OK, and the rest of college football.
Oklahoma State players in 2024 will have QR codes on the back of their helmets. Coach Mike Gundy hopes the codes will enable people watching from home to build the NIL funds his Cowboys receive as they will link to a donation page for the school’s NIL fund,
“This is a revolutionary step forward to help keep Oklahoma State football ahead of the game,” Gundy said. “It gives a chance for everyday fans across the world to have a real impact when it comes to supporting the NIL efforts for Cowboy football. I’m thrilled about this opportunity for our players.”
Oklahoma State players will wear QR codes on the back of their helmets that link to the general team fund.
Mike Gundy: “This is a revolutionary step forward to help keep Oklahoma State football ahead of the game. It gives a chance for everyday fans across the world to have a… pic.twitter.com/5YDfq21iVA
Five teams from the Big 12 conference were among the top 25 teams in the first AP poll of the college football season.
With just under two weeks to go until the start of the College Football season, the Associated Press Top 25 poll was released. There are five teams from the Big 12 in the poll. Let’s take a look at each of them:
12. Utah Utes
The Utes are the conference favorites. They are going to see some new places this season as members of the Big 12. Utah is used to winning ways, as Kyle Whittingham is entering his 20th season as the head man in Salt Lake City. Utah starts the season with Southern Utah on August 29th. Their first big test is September 21st on the road at Oklahoma State.
17. Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, another guy in his 20th season as the head coach. The Big 12 media poll had the Cowboys just below Kansas State, but the Associated Press poll has the Cowboys ahead of the Wildcats. Regardless, the end of September will be challenging with games against Utah and Kansas State. But, the Cowboys cannot overlook South Dakota State to open the season.
18. Kansas State Wildcats
Chris Klieman saw three guys get drafted into the NFL following their 9-4 season a year ago. The Wildcats won their bowl game as well. Now, they will look to make the next step and get back to the conference title game. Kansas State starts their season on August 31st at home against UT Martin.
21. Arizona Wildcats
Brett Brennan is starting his first season with the Wildcats. Arizona went 10-3 a season ago, and 7-2 in their final season in the Pac-12. The Wildcats beat up Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl and finished 11th in the final Associated Press poll. That was their best finish since 1998. Arizona was picked fifth in the preseason poll, just behind Kansas. The Wildcats open on August 31st against New Mexico.
22. Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks got some national love, coming in at 22 in the poll. Lance Leipold is entering his fourth year as the head coach. Arrowhead Stadium will be the home for the Jayhawks as Memorial Stadium is under renovation this season. Kansas lost some coaches on the staff, but they bring back a ton of talent. Jason Bean, who was the quarterback a season ago, will also not return. Kansas gets Lindenwood in Week 1, and a road trip to Illinois in Week 2.
Iowa State, West Virginia, and Colorado got votes in the poll but did not make the Top 25. To get a look at the entire Associated Press Top 25 poll, take a look here.
Keep in mind, that the US LBM Coaches Poll has also been released. So these can be used in comparison to see the differences between the two.
The Dallas Cowboys legend might have started his college career … at Oklahoma State?
Troy Aikman’s run from college standout at UCLA to three-time Super Bowl winner, NFL Hall of Famer and broadcaster has been well-documented.
What most people don’t know is that Aikman nearly stayed in his childhood home of Oklahoma and not with the Sooners.
Aikman recently talked with Ryen Russillo on his podcast about his recruitment journey. While he would eventually go on to play for both Oklahoma and then UCLA, it was nearly Oklahoma State where Aikman ended up.
“I had always planned on going to Oklahoma State,” Aikman said. “They were running the pro-style offense, and Oklahoma was still in the wishbone even though they said they were going to the I with Marcus Dupree and they were going to throw the ball. That’s why they were recruiting me.”
On his trip to Stillwater, Aikman told Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson that he was going to Oklahoma State. Aikman made it known his whole senior year that he was going to be a Cowboy but decided to still take his official visit to Oklahoma.
Johnson tried talking Aikman out of it, but he decided to go and enjoy the spectacle. Aikman admits he got caught up in it.
“Because I came from such a small high school, I wasn’t certain that I could play quarterback at that level,” Aikman said. “I wasn’t confident to say that I was good enough to compete at that level but I was good enough to play somewhere. Whether it’s safety, tight end, lineman, I’ll figure it out and start somewhere.
…I also wanted to win. At Oklahoma State, you weren’t going to win the conference, and you certainly weren’t going to win a national title. At Oklahoma, you had the chance to do all that.”
Aikman ultimately decided on Oklahoma and, after a week, said he knew he could play quarterback at that level. He spent two seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to UCLA in 1987.
Following two standout years with the Bruins, the Cowboys selected Aikman with the first pick in the 1989 NFL Draft.
Oct 24, 1987; Pasadena, CA, USA: UCLA Bruins quarterback Troy Aikman (8) in action against the California Golden Bears during the 1987 season at the Rose Bowl. (Long Photography-USA TODAY Sports)
Along with not getting to play with two future NFL Hall of Fame running backs in Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders, Aikman also stated that he turned down Jimmy Johnson twice before the two finally paired up in Dallas.
“He recruited me again to Miami when I was leaving Oklahoma and I turned him down twice,” Aikman said. “If I had signed with Oklahoma State, I would have never played for Jimmy because right after National Signing Day, Jimmy became the head coach at Miami. I don’t feel so bad for turning him down because he wasn’t going to be there anyway.”
Coming out of college, Aikman heard rumors of an oil guy from Arkansas buying the Cowboys and that he was going to hire Johnson as their next head coach.
He would go on to play for Johnson and Barry Switzer, his former coach at Oklahoma, before calling it a career in 2000.
“It’s just been one big groundhog day for me for most of my athletic career,” Aikman joked.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy defended star RB Ollie Gordon II in a peculiar way
Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy is standing by star running back Ollie Gordon II, who was arrested on June 30 for an alleged DUI.
Oklahoma State authorities observed Gordon swerving out of his lane twice and driving 82 mph in a 65 mph zone. He refused a field sobriety test and was arrested on complaints of DUI under 21 years of age, transporting an open container of alcohol, failing to maintain a single lane of traffic, and speeding 16-20 mph over the speed limit, according to a police report.
When given a breath test, Gordon blew a .11, above the .08 limit.
That would seem to be concerning to the school and its football coach.
Gundy, however, will not have Gordon miss any game time. Gordon won the Doak Walker Award as the best running back in college football as a sophomore last season when he rushed for 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns.
“He’s going to play,” Gundy told ESPN on Tuesday. “I’m going to do what we think is best for Oklahoma State football, and I think it’s best for Ollie to play. If there’s any punishment, it’s making him carry the ball 50 times in the first game.”
Gundy, no stranger to controversy, then offered a bizarre and scary defense.
“I looked it up on my phone- what would be the legal limit?… 2 or 3 beers, or 4,” he said. “I’m not justifying what Ollie did; I’m telling you what decision I made. Well, I thought, I’ve probably done that a thousand times in my life.”
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State might not be done facing each other on the basketball court.
With the Oklahoma Sooners moving to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] and the Oklahoma State Cowboys staying in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag], the [autotag]Bedlam[/autotag] rivalry between the two rival schools had looked to be lost.
One of the best in-state rivalries in college sports may not survive conference realignment in every sport, but men’s basketball sounds like it’s on track to keep going.
Rothstein had OSU head coach [autotag]Steve Lutz[/autotag] on his podcast “College Hoops Today’ and Lutz told him that the game is on track to be played at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The arena is currently home to the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder.
Though it wouldn’t have the same feel as a game at Lloyd Noble or Gallagher-Iba, getting the rivalry back in a sport as popular as men’s basketball is a great start. This could be the domino needed to get Bedlam to return in other sports as well.
The atmosphere in the Paycom Center should be a pretty raucous one, given the debate about which school has run away from playing the game in other sports. By the middle of December, we should have a pretty good feel for how the Sooners and Cowboys are looking on the court as well.
While we’re at it, a Bedlam baseball series at Bricktown Ballpark or a Bedlam softball series at Devon Park would be a must-watch. Women’s basketball could follow suit after men’s hoops and play at Paycom or at the BOK Center.
And of course, a regular season Bedlam football game may be the furthest from returning.
But I for one have no problem if [autotag]Joe Castiglione[/autotag] and [autotag]Chad Weiberg[/autotag] want to hash out a home-and-home for a future nonconference matchup. Those would automatically become two of the most-anticipated games on the schedules for both the teams and the fanbases.
And who knows, maybe with the expanded 12-team [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag], Bedlam football could be coming back sooner rather than later.
The Florida Gators are regional champions and will face Clemson in a three-game super regional series.
A month ago, Florida hardly looked like an NCAA Tournament team, but a switch flipped during the Georgia series and the Gators are now headed to the super regionals after taking down regional host Oklahoma State, 4-2, on Monday night.
Florida had already played four games over the weekend, so pitching depth was thin coming into the game. Redshirt freshman [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] and true freshmen left-hander [autotag]Frank Menendez[/autotag] kept the Cowboys quiet enough through 5 2/3 innings, setting the table for junior [autotag]Fisher Jameson[/autotag] to slam the door shut.
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 3, 2024
Menendez earned his first win of the season, and Clemente was solid in his second start of the year. The Cowboys made solid contact off him a few times but it took until the fourth inning to score off him.
Clemente didn’t have his best stuff, walking three batters to just two strikeouts, but he left the game with a lead in the fourth. Aidan Meola doubled in a run, bringing out [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] to make the switch.
Florida’s early lead came from the two most unlikely heroes in the lineup. [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] continued his regional run for the ages with a liner to right-center that scored both [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag] in the third. Robertson added another run in the fourth with a poke to left field, beating the shift.
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 3, 2024
[autotag]Frank Menendez[/autotag] was first out of the bullpen, making his first appearance for the Gators since May 16. He went a career-high 2 1/3 innings, but it wasn’t without drama.
Menendez came into the game with two men on but got a pair of fly balls with his changeup, which even had O’Sullivan doling out some praise during the in-game interview. It’s the same pitch he used to strike out Meola in the fifth, capping off an escape from a bases-loaded jam with no outs.
Sully also said he needed to use Menendez as long as he could, bringing him back out for the sixth. A two-out walk ended his day, but he delivered the bullpen performance Florida needed in the biggest game of the year. A run on a sacrifice fly is a small price to pay considering the circumstances.
[autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] added an insurance run with a monster home run to left center in the bottom of the sixth, his 14th of the season.
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 3, 2024
Fisher Jameson came in after Menendez and did his best Branon Neely impression. He made sure Sully couldn’t take the ball from him by retiring all 10 batters he faced without a blemish. Perfection when it was needed most.
Jameson struck out four, including the final batter of the day, igniting a celebration back in Gainesville and sending the Oklahoma State fans home with disappointment across their faces.
It wasn’t easy to come out on top in Stillwater, but Florida got the pitching performances it needed to make it to the Supers. Clemson is next. Best of two out of three, starting on Friday or Saturday.
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The Brandon Neely game will never be forgotten. Florida baseball at its finest.
It looked like Florida would have to battle all night to come out on top against Oklahoma State and force a Game 7 in Stillwater, but [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] and [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] came up big in a 5-2 win that should go down as one of the best Gators baseball games all season.
Neely gets the nod for player of the game after hurling 5 2/3 innings of one-hit ball in relief of Florida starter [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag]. Freshman [autotag]Luke McNeillie[/autotag] came in between the two but walked the only batter he faced.
Nerves understandably got to the first-year arm, but Neely lives for the moments where it’s all adrenaline and no brakes. He struck out 11 of the 21 batters he faced, recording seven straight outs via the punchout at one point.
Neely’s fastball ran up to 96 mph, and he was painting a somewhat generous strike zone that had the hometown fans irate. Florida struggled with the wide zone, too. Every Gators starter, aside from [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag], struck out at least once.
Shelton is the runner-up for player of the game, but he probably had the bigger moment putting the Gators up with a three-run homer in the sixth. It’s been a rough second half of the year for Shelton at the plate, but he’s picking up steam at the right time.
[autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag] added an insurance run later in that inning, scoring on a wild pitch.
Although there is much to celebrate, Florida’s job isn’t finished. To make it out of Stillwater as regional champions, the Gators must beat the Cowboys again on Monday at 3 p.m. ET. Both teams are running low on pitching after reaching Day 4 of play, so it’s anyone’s game to win.
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Oklahoma State hit Jac Caglianone early, and Florida’s offense never found a rhythm against Brian Holiday. The Gators the Huskers again on Sunday, facing elimination.
Florida couldn’t muster up much offense against Brian Holiday and the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday night in a 7-1 loss at the Stillwater Regional.
The Gators’ offense struck out 10 times, reaching safely just twice through nine innings. Tyler Shelnut doubled with two outs in the second inning, and [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] homered in the ninth to break the shutout.
Caglianone’s home run is his 30th of the season, which is historic for a number of reasons. Most probably, it makes him the first back-to-back 30-home run player in college baseball history. Caglianone is just four home runs away from breaking the program career record, but Florida faces elimination on Sunday.
They’ll likely throw [autotag]Pierce Coppola[/autotag] after starting Caglianone on the mound in the loss. The Cowboys hit him well, especially the lefties. Caglianone surrendered four solo home runs, doubling his season total in just two innings. He lasted through the fifth, finishing the day with eight strikeouts and two walks.
[autotag]Ryan Slater[/autotag] walked two but survived the sixth for Florida. The freshmen didn’t fare as well in relief. [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] gave up a two-run bomb and recorded just one out. [autotag]Robert Satin[/autotag] finished the inning and then got the hook after walking the leadoff man in the eighth.
[autotag]Grayson Smith[/autotag] had a decent outing. Erasing the baserunner with a double play ball and striking out three of the eight batters he faced over the final two frames — Florida got last rights as the home team in this winner’s bracket matchup.
A rematch with Nebraska now awaits the Gators on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. Winning means another shot at Oklahoma State in the evening, but it will take another win on Monday to win the regional.
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