Why is 2024 Oklahoma State football opener a midday kickoff? Don't ask coach Mike Gundy (2024)

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy says he had no input into the start time of the Cowboys’ season opener, set for 1 p.m. Aug. 31 against South Dakota State at Boone Pickens Stadium.

With the game to be broadcast on ESPN+, the university was given a level of control over the start time, settling on a midday kick when temperatures could still be in the mid-90s.

While an afternoon start has a lot of benefits for the university and the community, the heat will be a challenge for players and fans.

“You’d have to ask somebody else,” Gundy said when asked why 1 p.m. was chosen. “I didn’t have a say in a lot of these things. The contracts with these (non-conference) games were mainly done by other people. Not me. I just agreed to certain ones of them, but I don’t really have a lot to do with those.”

Though the Cowboys have been accustomed to night games in the early part of the season in recent years, this season’s other non-conference games, against Arkansas on Sept. 7 and at Tulsa on Sept. 14, are set for 11 a.m. kickoffs.

While the Cowboys are practicing in the late morning hours that provide a good amount of heat, South Dakota State can’t simulate Oklahoma weather on their campus, where temperatures are maxing out in the low 80s this time of year.

“I remember when I first got here, the humidity is a whole different ballgame,” said OSU junior defensive lineman Justin Kirkland, who is from Roy, Utah. “I hope they come hydrated. I hope we come hydrated.”

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Gundy excited by Sean Snyder’s input

The hiring of former Kansas State punter and longtime special teams coach Sean Snyder is already showing benefits in practice.

Snyder not only has experience coaching special teams schemes, he also has a strong understanding of the mechanics of kicking and punting, which has allowed him to work intricately with those players.

“It’s been an interesting concept and a very good experience for me to watch,” Gundy said. “Most of what we’ve done will stay the course, but then there’s some things he wanted to do that we’ve changed a little bit.

“It’s been a really good learning experience for me.”

OSU was able to hire Snyder after a rule change was implemented that removed the limits for on-field coaches in college football.

Now, OSU has Snyder as well as special teams analyst Joseph Foteh working with those units when the previous rule would not have allowed either to participate in on-field coaching.

Gundy says he has continued to use position coaches as key voices in working with the special teams units as he has done in recent years as well.

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Tackling has improved for defense

While the Cowboys often try to avoid actual to-the-ground tackling in preseason camp, Gundy has been pleased with what he’s seen from his defense in that phase lately.

“They’re tackling better now than they were at this time last year,” he said. “That’s something we stressed. We gotta get guys down. It’s challenging going against our offense. There’s a lot of experience out there. But every day they’re getting a little better.”

Gundy on South Dakota State

Here’s what Gundy had to say when asked about the talent of his team’s first opponent, South Dakota State, which will come to Stillwater with a 29-game winning streak: “They’re physical, they’re tough, they’re not out of place much. They’re very well coached. The point spread they went through last year was huge. They’re very capable of playing a Power Four conference schedule, I’ll put it that way. Teams that haven’t lost a game in a while are difficult to play, because they don’t know how to lose. All they’ve ever done is win. So you have to take the game away from them.”

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OSU announces full season sellout

For the second straight year, OSU football has sold out every home football game — and this is the first time it has accomplished it before the season began.

OSU announced a full sellout of season tickets a few weeks ago, but still had mini plans and single game tickets, which now have all been sold. That includes all suites, club level seats and student all-sports passes.