'We’re going to play a real game:' Mike Gundy is bringing back Orange-White game Saturday

Oklahoma State fans are heading to Boone Pickens Stadium this Saturday will see a scrimmage, according to head coach Mike Gundy.

“We’re going to play a real game,” Gundy said Tuesday. “No halftime, just three 15-minute quarters. We’ll split teams, split coaching staffs, and we’re keeping score. Winners get steak and lobster. Losers? Hot dogs.”

“I want to see these guys in a game situation,” he said. “We’ve got so many new players—32 I haven’t seen in real-game action. This is their shot to show what they can do.”

The Cowboys are healthy this spring, particularly in the trenches, which has allowed Gundy to green-light a more intense format. With strong depth on both the offensive and defensive lines, he believes the team is ready to put on a show.

“Spring games have gotten a bad rep lately. People aren’t excited about them anymore,” Gundy added. “But we’re in a good spot. The players want this. The fans want it. And I need it to evaluate the roster. It just makes sense.”

Mike Gundy meets with media

Q: With the current state of college football and NIL, are we just trying to force a professional model into an amateur system?

Mike Gundy: I don’t think it surprises anyone anymore. We’re building an NFL system inside an amateur model. There are no rules, no regulations, and no central leadership. So you’re going to keep seeing these types of situations. You can’t blame the players or the schools—they’re doing what they believe is best. The problem is the system. Until amateurism is removed and leadership steps in, we’re all just reacting as it goes.

Q: Some of the NIL numbers being reported seem wild. Are they real? Are we going to see them come down?

Gundy: A couple of years ago, the numbers were definitely overblown. But now? They’re accurate. We’ve seen the contracts from agents, even of players who don’t come here. It’s hard to believe, but the money is real now.

Q: How do you feel about players making more than the coaches?

Gundy: It’s a different world than five years ago. This is a professional sport now—we just haven’t called it that yet. The guys out there taking hits are the ones people pay to watch. That’s where the money goes. It’s an entertainment business. The players are the show.

Q: Ever wish you played in this NIL era?

Gundy: No way. If I had that much money back in college, I’d be history. I’d have pulled a Johnny Manziel. I’m glad I didn’t have that kind of cash back then. I’ve been fortunate on the coaching side, but I don’t think I would’ve handled that well as a player.

Q: How impactful were the recent concerts for the university and community?

Gundy: Tremendous. For Stillwater, for Oklahoma State, for the whole state of Oklahoma. Kyle Waters did an unbelievable job organizing it. Minimal incidents despite thousands attending. It brought people in from all over. Vendors were happy, and the performers loved it—Turnpike Troubadours even said these were the best three shows of their lives.

Q: Let’s talk football—how are the quarterbacks looking?

Gundy: They’re all doing good. It’s not that nobody’s stepping up, it’s that everyone is playing well. It’s competitive, and I like that.

Q: What can fans expect from Saturday’s fan day?

Gundy: We’re going to play a real game. No halftime, just three 15-minute quarters. We’ll split teams and staffs, and we’ll keep score. It’ll be like the old days—winners get steak and lobster, losers get hot dogs. I want to see these guys in a game situation. We’ve got so many new players, and I haven’t seen 32 of them in real-game action.

Q: Why go all out for the spring game?

Gundy: It’s for the fans, but it’s also for us. Spring games have gotten a bad rep lately. People aren’t excited about them anymore. But we’re healthy enough this year, especially in the trenches, to play a full game. It’s what the team needs. The players want it, the fans want it, and I need it to evaluate the roster.

Q: With the transfer portal opening, do you expect a lot of movement in or out?

Gundy: It’s hard to say. You’d expect three to five guys to leave and the same number to come in. But who knows? No one's told me anything yet. Eventually, the portal will be like any other part of the sport—it’ll just be routine.

Q: Are the current rules around the portal clear to you? Can you even talk about guys before they get here?

Gundy: Nobody knows the rules. Even with signed transfers, it’s all fuzzy. There's no real enforcement or clarity, so it’s kind of like, what’s the point of worrying about it?

Q: Do you worry about NIL poaching and players leaving last minute?

Gundy: Absolutely. We all do. Depth charts get emotional, and players can feel slighted. And yeah, it’s only a matter of time before someone bails in August. This is just the beginning. Without collective bargaining or a set of rules, it’s going to keep happening.

Q: Would you ever consider scrimmaging another school, like OU, for spring?

Gundy: I’ve joked about that. I said we should scrimmage OU next Saturday. What are they going to do—put us on double secret probation? (laughs) But seriously, the current system has so many gaps that sometimes you wonder what’s stopping you.

Q: With all this movement, how do you even build a roster?

Gundy: That’s why I need to see a game. We’re going to have to cut down to 105, and we’ve got 8-10 guys right on the bubble. I need to see who deserves a spot. This is for them as much as it is for us.

Q: How’s the offensive line coming along?

Gundy: They’ve improved. None of these guys had played much before, but we’re getting better. We’re further along than two weeks ago. Still a lot of work to do, but we’ll be ready.