Some college football fans probably wondered where Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II had been before he ripped off a long touchdown run on Friday night.
Trailing 7-0 early in the first quarter against BYU, Oklahoma State quarterback Garret Rangel handed the ball off to Gordon, who cut to his right en route to a 50-yard touchdown.
After he won the 2023 Doak Walker Award as the best RB in college football, Gordon was considered one of the country’s brightest stars. However, he hasn’t met expectations this season.
He only rushed for 384 yards and four TDs on 101 carries through his first six games. Last season, he ran for a career-high 1,732 yards and 21 TDs on 285 carries in 14 games.
Gordon’s drop-off could tie to Oklahoma State’s inconsistent offensive line. According to Alex Kirshner of Opta Analyst, Gordon averaged four yards before contact last season. In 2024, that figure has dipped to 1.9.
Breaking a big TD run should help Gordon rebuild confidence and show NFL teams he’s still a talented prospect. According to Tankathon’s big board, he’s the second-best RB in the 2025 class behind Boise State star Ashton Jeanty.
