Paul Finebaum Confronts College Football’s New Era

The New Era of College Football

The new era of college football is here, and programs that fail to adapt risk being left behind. This new era is defined by financial resources and how effectively programs can convert them into roster talent. Some schools benefit from wealthy and generous donors, but others have to get creative with how they raise money.

Oklahoma State Gets Creative with Osage Nation Deal

Oklahoma State is one of the teams that got creative. They entered into a partnership agreement with the Osage Nation. As part of the partnership, all Oklahoma State team jerseys for every sport will feature an Osage patch beginning with the upcoming season.

This partnership is designed to generate additional revenue streams to keep Oklahoma State competitive in the NIL-driven landscape. It will also help keep them competitive in the Big 12 and stay with the pack, rather than falling behind.

Paul Finebaum Lays Down the Harsh Reality

The move drew mixed reactions from fans, but analysts like Paul Finebaum say it reflects the modern reality of college sports.

“It’s a reality, whether you like it or not, it’s just where college athletics is right now,” Finebaum said on ‘The Paul Finebaum Show.’

This is what the new era is all about, and instead of complaining, fans need to embrace it. Not every program has the same resources. Some programs have big-time donors who love donating and helping out their schools. Others have to get creative.

From Pickens Era to NIL Era Challenges

Oklahoma State once had a well-known donor in T. Boone Pickens. But he passed away in 2019, just before the NIL era started. This made the Cowboys have to figure out ways to compete at a high level.

The last couple of seasons have been brutal for Oklahoma State. It has gone 4-20 in the last two seasons, after being consistently one of the best programs in the conference. During this poor stretch, the Cowboys didn’t embrace the transfer portal or use NIL at a high level to build their roster.

A Reset Under Eric Morris

Because of that, they fired longtime head coach Mike Gundy, who was one of the most important figures in Oklahoma State football history. He has since been replaced by former North Texas Mean Green head coach Eric Morris.

He immediately brought a top-20 transfer portal class with him, as well as a new commitment to NIL. This partnership is just another step in that direction.

The hope in Stillwater is that the combination of new leadership, improved roster investment, and creative revenue generation can stabilize the program in the NIL era. If those changes take hold, Oklahoma State could quickly move back toward respectability in the Big 12. But if they do not, the Cowboys risk falling further behind in a landscape that is only becoming more financially competitive.

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