Kickoff: 2:30 PM CT
Location: Boone-Pickens Stadium (Stillwater, Oklahoma)
Television: ESPN2
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Twitter: Follow @HeartlandPokes for live tweets during the game
A new era of Cowboy football begins as the Oklahoma State Cowboys host the Baylor Bears in the first game since Mike Gundy’s departure as head coach. Offensive Coordinator Doug Meacham is the interim head coach in the meantime, and he’s in some deep waters as he gets his first-ever shot at being a head coach in the midst of what can only be described as chaos.
The Cowboys haven’t defeated an FBS school in over a year, and the odds of them doing so anytime soon are not good. They are not likely to be favored the rest of the 2025 campaign, and they are three-touchdown underdogs at home against the Bears. Even as bleak as the outlook is, many Cowboy fans feel like the change was better to happen sooner rather than later, and now it feels like the program can start working on whatever it takes to get back to the winning ways that the loyal and true had grown accustomed to over the best years of Mike Gundy’s tenure.
Baylor enters the game at 2-2, perhaps a bit underwhelming considering some excitement surrounding the Bears in the preseason. After a lackluster season opener against Auburn—a 38-24 loss—the Bears knocked off SMU on the road before easily defeating Samford at home. Last weekend, they lost a close one at home to Arizona State, and now it only makes sense that they are viewing the Cowboys as a palate cleanser.
Baylor Quarterback Sawyer Robertson is an experienced field general, but Oklahoma State’s defense did show some bright spots in the second half of last week’s loss to Tulsa. The Cowboy offense, however, has been as bad as anyone can remember in recent history, but perhaps they may be able to figure some things out against a mediocre Baylor defense.
Regardless of the final score, though, I think Cowboy fans are looking for some glimpse of stability more than anything. If Oklahoma State can at least show some level of fight—something that has been absent for a while now—then MAYBE the Cowboys can figure out how to turn a pretty sour season thus far into something resembling progress.
How the Cowboys Win
Let’s not kid ourselves. It would take nothing short of an epic upset by Oklahoma State to get a win against Baylor, but if they want to even have a chance, the primary area that will need some success is finding the end zone. The Cowboys haven’t been there much, and anytime they have gotten close, it’s typically ended in some type of embarrassing fashion. Pretend for one second that Zane Flores walks in with all the confidence in the world, the offensive line all of a sudden can do even a decent job, and the run game gets going, then maybe, just maybe, the Cowboys can make a game out of this.
How the Bears Win
It’s probably too simple to say “just show up” when it comes to Baylor winning this game, so what the Bears probably need to do to win this game is play a clean game. Oklahoma State is going to need some help to keep it close, and if Baylor turns the ball over, the Cowboys might find some confidence to make it interesting. As long as the Bears do the things that they are capable of doing, they should be able to leave Stillwater with a win.
Odds & Predictions
Staff Score Predictions
| Staff | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Caleb | Baylor 45 – Oklahoma State 7 |
| Craig | Baylor 42 – Oklahoma State 10 |
| Matt | Baylor 42 – Oklahoma State 17 |
| Zack | Baylor 48 – Oklahoma State 9 |
An Oklahoma State Win Would…
- Improve Doug Meacham’s record as a head coach to 1-0.
- Improve the Cowboys’ all-time record against Baylor to 24-20 and their record against BU in Stillwater to 15-7.
- Make the Cowboys 36-23 in their past 59 games overall, dating to 2020.
- Make the Cowboys 99-30 in their past 129 games vs. opponents outside of the AP Top 25, dating to 2010.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
- Oklahoma State has converted 5 of its past 7 two-point conversion attempts dating to last season.
- OSU is 14-3 in the past 17 games when winning or tying the turnover battle.
- Dating back to 2008, OSU is 83-11 when winning the turnover battle.
- Dating back to 2005, OSU is 50-5 when not committing a turnover.
- OSU has held 35 of its past 52 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average entering the game.
- OSU has won 87 of its past 88 games when holding its opponent to fewer than 20 points, dating back to Sept. 13, 2003. Including games when opponents have scored 20 points or fewer, OSU has won 95 of its past 96.
- OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50% third-down conversion rate in 55 of its past 66 games.
- OSU is 40-20 in its past 60 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
- OSU is 52-9 in its past 61 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
- OSU has won five of its past seven overtime games.
Zack Low is a college football analyst and contributor covering the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Follow on X for live conversation during games and for more Oklahoma State analysis throughout the 2025 season.