Oklahoma State 27 – UT Martin 7 | Cowboys Defeat Skyhawks with A Lot Left To Be Desired

Zachary LowAugust 28, 2025 No Comments

After the worst season in Mike Gundy’s time as head coach in Stillwater, the Cowboy faithful were excited to kick off another season of Oklahoma State football as the Cowboys hosted the UT Martin Skyhawks on Thursday night. A hot start that featured plenty of scoring in the first quarter quickly turned into a game full of defensive plays at just the right time. In the end, the Cowboys came out on top with the 27-7 win, but plenty of questions remain as the competition will not get any easier moving forward.

The Offense Needs Work

Last season, Oklahoma State struggled to score due to a poor offensive line, mediocre quarterback play, a lack of creativity in play calling, and an inability to put together any momentum. Some of those issues still linger, but the biggest issue has got to be the big guys up front.

A well-balanced offense is a major key to a successful season, and while starting quarterback Hauss Hejny was able to do some damage early both with his arm and his legs, it was due more to his playmaking ability than it was the offensive line. He played just three drives, though, as he was replaced by Zane Flores to start the second quarter due to a lower leg injury.

Flores couldn’t do much in his time in the second quarter, but he was able to nickel-and-dime the Skyhawk defense for portions of the second half. Still, the run game was a non-factor for the Cowboys as seven different players recorded a carry for a total of 42 carries for only 127 yards. Take away Hejny’s 4 carries for 27 yards, and that cuts the numbers down to 38 carries for just 100 yards.

The bright side was Zane Flores’s ability to stay calm under pressure. Although he was sacked twice, Flores put up decent numbers, completing 13-of-20 passes for 136 yards, including a 41-yard bomb to Terrill Davis. He didn’t throw any touchdowns, but he also did not turn the ball over. Flores also broke off a 19-yard run for a key first down at one point.

Overall, the offense looked nothing more than decent against an FCS school. If they’re going to have any type of success this season, it’s going to have to come by way of the offensive line, especially if the Cowboys want to run the ball as much as they did against the Skyhawks.

Defense Overcomes Slow Start for Solid Finish

The Cowboy defense was about as bad as fans can remember last season. They were easily the worst in the conference, giving up the most points per game and total yards per game. The first couple of drives of this game looked shaky, but the Skyhawks’ only points came via a double pass turned into a 39-yard touchdown in the first quarter. From that point forward, Oklahoma State was almost completely in control.

The following six of the next seven possessions for UT Martin ended in punts, including three 3-and-outs. The one possession that didn’t end in a punt was moving toward another Skyhawk touchdown, but Cowboy defensive back Kale Smith picked off an errant UT Martin quarterback Jase Baeur pass deep in Cowboy territory.

UT Martin did find some success running the ball at times, but they finished with just 116 yards on 38 carries. Oklahoma State’s defensive line was able to get enough pressure to cause problems, sacking Baeur 4 times with 3 of those coming from freshman Wendell Gregory in the first half alone.

UT Martin is likely the least exciting offense that Oklahoma State will see all season, but if the Cowboys can use this game as a stepping stone to finding some consistency, then perhaps they will be able to do enough to give the offense a chance to win a few more games than initially expected.

Looking Ahead

The competition skyrockets next week when the Cowboys head to Eugene, Oregon, to take on the #7 Oregon Ducks. Oregon opens up its season on Saturday against Montana State as a four-touchdown favorite, and you can guarantee Oklahoma State will be watching closely as they get a couple of extra days to prepare for what will possibly be their toughest opponent of the season.

The Ducks will likely be favored by at least a couple of touchdowns, and it’s going to take a lot of improvement in a short amount of time by the Cowboys if they want to have a chance at an upset.

Kickoff is set for 2:30 PM on Saturday, September 6th. It has not yet been announced where the game will be televised.

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