Oklahoma State Turns Back the Clock With Throwback Helmets Honoring 1976 Championship Team

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STILLWATER — Oklahoma State is turning back the clock Saturday night at Boone Pickens Stadium.

When the Cowboys take the field against Murray State, they'll do so wearing throwback helmets honoring one of the most successful teams in program history — the 1976 Big Eight co-champions and Tangerine Bowl winners.

Oklahoma State revealed its Week 3 uniform combination Thursday, sticking with the orange jerseys and white pants worn during last week's 39-31 upset of No. 6 Oregon.

The big change comes up top. OSU will wear orange helmets featuring a white center stripe and the old-school white “OSU” logo that became synonymous with several eras of Cowboy football.

And Oklahoma State had some fun when showing off the throwback look on social media. “New lid who dis?”

The logo dates back to the mid-1970s and remained part of Oklahoma State's helmet identity through 2001. It is often associated with Barry Sanders' legendary run with the Cowboys, but Saturday's reason for bringing it back goes even further into OSU history.

Honoring the 1976 Cowboys

This weekend marks the 50th anniversary celebration of Oklahoma State's 1976 team. Led by running back Terry Miller, those Cowboys finished 9-3 and earned a share of the Big Eight championship with Colorado.

OSU then put an exclamation point on the season with a dominant 49-21 victory over BYU in the Tangerine Bowl.

The conference championship would be Oklahoma State's last for 35 years. The Cowboys didn't claim another conference title until Mike Gundy's 2011 team won the Big 12 championship.

Now, a half-century later, members of that 1976 team will be honored back in Stillwater while the current Cowboys wear the same style of logo that appeared on their helmets.

A Chance to Start Another Winning Streak

The throwback look comes as Eric Morris' Cowboys try to build some momentum of their own. Oklahoma State enters Saturday 1-1 after one of the more dramatic two-week swings imaginable.

The Cowboys opened the season with a disappointing 24-10 loss at Tulsa before returning home and stunning No. 6 Oregon 39-31 last weekend.

Now OSU has an opportunity to win consecutive games for the first time since opening the 2024 season 3-0.

Murray State enters at 1-2 and has never faced Oklahoma State. The Racers also haven't beaten an FBS opponent since defeating Louisville in 1984.

Saturday represents Oklahoma State's final nonconference game before the Cowboys open Big 12 play at West Virginia next weekend.

But before turning their attention toward Morgantown, the Cowboys will spend one more night at Boone Pickens Stadium — with a piece of Oklahoma State history along for the ride.

Fifty years after the 1976 Cowboys brought home a conference championship and Tangerine Bowl trophy, the helmets they helped make part of OSU history are back.

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