Oklahoma State Cowboys football statistical leaders explained
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Oklahoma State Cowboys football program in various categories,[1] including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, kicking, and scoring. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. The Cowboys represent Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in the NCAA Division I FBS Big 12 Conference.
Although Oklahoma State began competing in intercollegiate football in 1901, the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1945. Records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are generally not included in these lists.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
- Since 1945, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length.
- The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers.
- The Cowboys have played in 26 bowl games in their history, with 14 of them coming since 2002. While the NCAA didn't count bowl game statistics until 2002,[2] and most schools follow this policy, Oklahoma State's official records count all bowl game statistics. This means that while the NCAA recognizes Barry Sanders' single-season rushing yards record of 2,628 as the national record, Oklahoma State counts his stats from the 1988 Holiday Bowl as well and recognizes the record as 2,850 yards.
- Oklahoma State played in the Big 12 Championship Game in 2021, giving players in that season yet another game to accumulate statistics.
- Due to COVID-19 issues, the NCAA declared that the 2020 season would not count against the athletic eligibility of any football player, thus giving every player active in that season the opportunity for five years of eligibility instead of the normal four.
These lists are updated through the 2021 Big 12 Championship Game.
Passing
Passing yards
Career| 1 | | 13,618 | 2014 2015 2016 2017 |
| 2 | | 9,553[3] | 2019 2020 2021 2022 |
| 3 | | 9,260 | 2008 2009 2010 2011 |
| 4 | | 8,473 | 1986 1987 1988 1989 |
| 5 | | 8,317 | 2006 2007 2008 2009 |
| 6 | | 6,090 | 2001 2002 2003 |
| 7 | Tone' Jones | 4,812 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 |
| 8 | Clint Chelf | 4,277 | 2010 2011 2012 2013 |
| 9 | | 4,198 | 2015 2016 2017 2018 |
| 10 | Tony Lindsay | 4,113 | 1997 1998 1999 2000 | |
Single season| 1 | | 4,904 | 2017 |
| 2 | Brandon Weeden | 4,727 | 2011 |
| 3 | Brandon Weeden | 4,277 | 2010 |
| 4 | | 4,091 | 2016 |
| 5 | | 3,978 | 2018 |
| 6 | | 3,770 | 2015 |
| 7 | Alan Bowman | 3,460[4] | 2023 |
| 8 | Josh Fields | 3,145 | 2002 |
| 9 | Zac Robinson | 3,064 | 2008 |
| 10 | | 2,839 | 2021 | |
Single game| 1 | | 540 | | Pittsburgh |
| 2 | | 502 | | Kansas State |
| 3 | | 501 | | Oklahoma |
| 4 | | 497 | | Pittsburgh |
| 5 | | 476 | | Iowa State |
| 6 | | 459 | | Baylor |
| 7 | | 457 | | Kansas State |
| 8 | | 448 | | Oklahoma |
| 9 | | 438 | | Texas A&M |
| | 438 | | Kansas | |
Passing touchdowns
Single game| 1 | | 7 | | SMU |
| 2 | | 6 | | Kansas |
| | 6 | | Tulsa |
| 4 | 12 times by 6 players | 5 | Most recent: Alan Bowman,
2024 vs. Tulsa | |
Rushing
Rushing yards
Career| 1 | Thurman Thomas | 5,001 | 1984 1985 1986 1987 |
| 2 | Terry Miller | 4,754 | 1974 1975 1976 1977 |
| 3 | David Thompson | 4,318 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 |
| 4 | Kendall Hunter | 4,181 | 2007 2008 2009 2010 |
| 5 | Barry Sanders | 3,797 | 1986 1987 1988 |
| 6 | Ernest Anderson | 3,780 | 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 |
| 7 | Justice Hill | 3,539 | 2016 2017 2018 |
| 8 | | 3,459 | 2018 2019 2020 |
| 9 | | 3,409 | 2000 2001 2002 2003 |
| 10 | | 3,085 | 2010 2011 2012 | |
Single season| 1 | Barry Sanders | 2,850 | 1988 |
| 2 | Chuba Hubbard | 2,094 | 2019 |
| 3 | Terry Miller | 1,887 | 1976 |
| 4 | Ernest Anderson | 1,877 | 1982 |
| 5 | Thurman Thomas | 1,767 | 1987 |
| 6 | Ollie Gordon II | 1,732 | 2023 |
| 7 | Terry Miller | 1,680 | 1977 |
| 8 | Thurman Thomas | 1,650 | 1985 |
| 9 | Gerald Hudson | 1,642 | 1990 |
| 10 | Kendall Hunter | 1,555 | 2008 | |
Rushing touchdowns
Receiving
Receptions
Receiving yards
Career| 1 | | 4,472 | 2014 2015 2016 2017 |
| 2 | Rashaun Woods | 4,414 | 2000 2001 2002 2003 |
| 3 | Justin Blackmon | 3,564 | 2009 2010 2011 |
| 4 | Hart Lee Dykes | 3,510 | 1985 1986 1987 1988 |
| 5 | | 3,434 | 2017 2018 2019 2020 |
| 6 | D'Juan Woods | 2,751 | 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 |
| 7 | Brennan Presley | 2,548 | 2020 2021 2022 2023 |
| 8 | Marcell Ateman | 2,466 | 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 |
| 9 | Dez Bryant | 2,425 | 2007 2008 2009 |
| 10 | | 2,378 | 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 | |
Single season| 1 | Justin Blackmon | 1,782 | 2010 |
| 2 | Rashaun Woods | 1,695 | 2002 |
| 3 | | 1,549 | 2017 |
| 4 | Justin Blackmon | 1,522 | 2011 |
| 5 | Tylan Wallace | 1,491 | 2018 |
| 6 | Dez Bryant | 1,480 | 2008 |
| 7 | Hart Lee Dykes | 1,441 | 1988 |
| 8 | James Washington | 1,380 | 2016 |
| 9 | Rashaun Woods | 1,367 | 2003 |
| 10 | Josh Stewart | 1,210 | 2012 | |
Receiving touchdowns
Total offense
Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[6]
Total offense yards
Career| 1 | | 13,646 | 2014 2015 2016 2017 |
| 2 | | 11,509 | 2019 2020 2021 2022 |
| 3 | Zac Robinson | 10,175 | 2006 2007 2008 2009 |
| 4 | Brandon Weeden | 9,110 | 2008 2009 2010 2011 |
| 5 | Mike Gundy | 8,272 | 1986 1987 1988 1989 |
| 6 | Josh Fields | 5,984 | 2001 2002 2003 |
| 7 | Tony Lindsay | 5,528 | 1997 1998 1999 2000 |
| 8 | Tone' Jones | 5,341 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 |
| 9 | | 5,034 | 1984 1985 1986 1987 |
| 10 | Terry Miller | 4,977 | 1974 1975 1976 1977 | |
Single season| 1 | | 4,939 | 2017 |
| 2 | Brandon Weeden | 4,625 | 2011 |
| 3 | Brandon Weeden | 4,209 | 2010 |
| 4 | | 4,152 | 2016 |
| 5 | | 4,002 | 2018 |
| 6 | | 3,735 | 2015 |
| 7 | | 3,671 | 2007 |
| 8 | | 3,626 | 2008 |
| 9 | | 3,507 | 2021 |
| 10 | Alan Bowman | 3,484[7] | 2023 | |
Touchdowns responsible for
"Touchdowns responsible for" is the NCAA's official term for combined passing and rushing touchdowns.[10] Oklahoma State's 2021 media guide uses this specific term, and does not list official single-game leaders in this statistic.[1]
Defense
Interceptions
Tackles
Single game| 1 | Gary Darnell | 27 | | Texas Tech |
| 2 | Keith Burns | 23 | | Colorado |
| 3 | Matt Monger | 21 | | Tulsa |
| James Ham | 21 | | Colorado |
| 5 | Jim Krebs | 20 | | Colorado |
| Leonard Jackson | 20 | | Tulsa |
| Cornell Cannon | 20 | | Colorado |
| Dwayne Levels | 20 | | Baylor |
| Jordan Sterns | 20 | | West Virginia |
| 10 | 5 times by 5 players | 19 | Most recent: Jordan Sterns,
2016 vs. Oklahoma | |
Sacks
Kicking
Field goals made
Single game| 1 | Larry Roach | 5 | | Missouri |
| | 5 | | TCU |
| | 5[14] | | Kansas State |
| 4 | Numerous times | 4 | Most recent: Alex Hale,
2023 vs. Kansas[15] | |
Field goal percentage
Minimum of 15 career attempts and 10 single-season attempts.[1]
Scoring
Points
Single game| 1 | | 42 | | SMU |
| 2 | | 30 | | Tulsa |
| | 30 | | Kansas |
| | 30 | | Wyoming
(Holiday Bowl) |
| | 30 | | BYU |
| 6 | | 26 | 1987 | Iowa State |
| 7 | Numerous times | 24 | Most recent: Ollie Gordon II,
2023 vs. West Virginia | |
Touchdowns
In official NCAA statistics, touchdown totals include touchdowns scored. Accordingly, these lists include rushing, receiving, and return touchdowns, but not passing touchdowns.
Single game| 1 | | 7 | | SMU |
| 2 | | 5 | | Tulsa |
| | 5 | | Kansas |
| | 5 | | Wyoming
(Holiday Bowl) |
| | 5 | | BYU |
| 6 | too many to count | 4 | Most recent: Ollie Gordon II,
2023 vs. west Virginia | |
Notes and References
- Web site: 2021 Cowboy Football Media Guide . Oklahoma State Cowboys . July 20, 2021 . December 10, 2021.
- Web site: NCAA changes policy on football stats. 2002-08-28. 2014-09-11. ESPN.com. AP.
- Web site: Spencer Sanders . ESPN.com . December 10, 2021.
- Web site: Alan Bowman. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Tay Martin. ESPN.com.
- Web site: 2021 Football Bowl Subdivision Records . NCAA . 9 . December 4, 2021.
- Web site: Alan Bowman. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Oklahoma State vs. Notre Dame Box Score. ESPN.com. January 1, 2022. January 4, 2022.
- Web site: Central Michigan vs. Oklahoma State Box Score. ESPN.com. September 1, 2022. September 2, 2022.
- Web site: 2021 Football Bowl Subdivision Records . NCAA . 12 . December 4, 2021.
- Web site: Malcolm Rodriguez . ESPN.com . December 10, 2021.
- Web site: Nickolas Martin. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Collin Oliver . ESPN.com . December 10, 2021.
- Web site: Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State Box Score. ESPN.com. October 6, 2023. October 8, 2023.
- Web site: Kansas vs. Oklahoma State Box Score. ESPN.com. October 14, 2023. October 16, 2023.
- Web site: Tanner Brown . ESPN.com . December 10, 2021.
- Web site: Alex Hale. ESPN.com.
