7 Best Oklahoma State Cowboys Football Players

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are always an intriguing team when you examine their football odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook as they look to capture the conference titles each season. 

The Cowboys have only won a single national championship, which came in 1945. 

However, since college football betting became more widespread in 2018, the Cowboys have maintained a record over .500 and two seasons with double-digit wins. 

While the Cowboys haven’t had a lot of success regarding national titles, there have been numerous legendary players—a group that’s headlined by a pair of running backs—to come through the program.

Below is a list of the top seven players in program history. 

7 Best Oklahoma State Cowboys Football Players

1. Barry Sanders

When Sanders arrived at Oklahoma State, the program already had Thurman Thomas on the depth chart. However, in his final year with Oklahoma State (1988), Sanders rushed 344 times for 2,628 yards and a mind-boggling 37 rushing touchdowns.

Yes, you read that right. Thirty-seven. 

To this day, Sanders holds the Oklahoma State single-season records in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. 

As for all-time stats, he ranks sixth in rushing yards (3,797) and first in rushing touchdowns (53). 

Remember, the majority of this production came in just one season. 

Barry Sanders In His Final Season At Oklahoma State (1988):

In 11 games:

2734 Yards From Scrimmage
3249 All Purpose Yards (Rush+REC+Return)
37 Touchdowns

That's…..

248.5 Yards From Scrimmage PER GAME
295.4 All Purpose Yards PER GAME
3.4 Touchdowns PER GAME

Domination pic.twitter.com/eVdxgW7vft

— Russell Clay (@RussellJClay) March 26, 2020

Because of that 1988 campaign, Sanders won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, was a unanimous All-American, and was named the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year. 

He’s in the Pro and College Football Hall of Fames and the Oklahoma State Cowboys Ring of Honor, and the school retired his No. 21. 

2. Thurman Thomas

I mentioned Thomas above, and he comes in second on my list. 

To this day, Thomas is the Cowboys all-time leader in rushing yards with 5,001. Thomas is also third in rushing touchdowns (47) and ninth in total offence (5,0354). 

During his time with the school, he was a consensus All-American and a first-team All-American, and his No. 34 was retired. 

To emphasize his greatness more, Thomas tore his ACL during the 1986 season but returned in 1987 and rushed 251 times for 1,613 yards and 17 touchdowns. 

3. Justin Blackmon

Some may remember Dez Bryant more fondly, but that’s simply because of his NFL career. Blackmon was a bust in the NFL, but before landing there, he put up numbers that easily made him the best wide receiver in program history. 

Playing three seasons, Blackmon ranks second in program history in receptions (253), third in receiving yards (3,564), and second in receiving touchdowns. 

Looking at single-season statistics, Blackmon holds the record for most receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. 

He had 20 receptions for 260 yards and two touchdowns his freshman year. 

From there, he had two monstrous seasons:

• 2010: 111 receptions, 1,782 yards, 20 touchdowns.
• 2011: 122 receptions, 1,522 yards, 18 touchdowns. 

Blackmon was a two-time Fred Biletnikoff Award winner, won two Paul Warfield trophies, was a two-time unanimous All-American, and was first-team All-Big 12 twice. He was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2010. 

He’s in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

4. Bob Fenimore

While he’s listed as a halfback, the College Football Hall of Fame labelled Fenimore as a “triple-threat player.” 

Today, Fenimore ranks 10th all-time in Oklahoma State history in rushing touchdowns with 28, but also has the most interceptions over a career with 18. In 1944, he had four in one game against Denver. 

So, really, Fenimore played multiple positions and was a national champion in 1945, a consensus All-American in 1945, and a first-team All-American in 1944. The school retired his No. 55. 

5. Dez Bryant

Bryant had an interesting career at Oklahoma State. In his debut season, he caught 43 passes for 622 yards and six touchdowns. 

He made his name in Cowboys lore in 2008, his second season. He caught 87 passes for 1,480 yards and 17 touchdowns. 

Finally, in 2009, he was ruled ineligible for the remainder of the season in October for violating an NCAA bylaw. 

As for single-season stats, Bryant ranks sixth in receptions, sixth in receiving yards, and second in receiving touchdowns. 

In 2008, Bryant was a consensus All-American, first-team All-Big 12, and Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year after returning 17 kicks for 305 yards and two touchdowns. 

6. Terry Miller

Another running back on my list, Miller’s No. 43, is retired by the Cowboys. 

During his time with the Cowboys, Miller was a unanimous All-American (1977), first-team All-American (1976), a two-time Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year (1976 and 1977), and was a three-time first-team All-Big Eight (1975-77). 

He ranks second in program history in rushing yards (4,754), second in rushing touchdowns (49), 10th in total offence (4,977), 10th in touchdowns responsible for (49), and ninth in scoring (294). 

7. Mason Rudolph

I haven’t mentioned a quarterback yet, but I’m closing my list with Rudolph. 

Today, Rudolph ranks first in Oklahoma State history in career passing yards (13,618) and passing touchdowns (92). He also holds three of the top 10 single-season records in passing yards and three of the top 10 single-season passing touchdowns records, is first in total offence (13,646), and is first in touchdowns responsible for (109).

Rudolph is the only player in OSU history with 10,000 passing yards. 

He won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Sammy Baugh Trophy, was second-team All-Big 12, and was the Camping World Bowl MVP. 

His best season came as a senior when he had 4,904 passing yards, 37 touchdown passes, and 10 rushing touchdowns.