Kickoff: 11 AM CT
Location: Boone Pickens Stadium (Stillwater, Oklahoma)
Television: ESPN
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Twitter: Follow @HeartlandPokes for live tweets during the game
I fell for the trap, like so many other Cowboy faithful. I genuinely believed that the last two seasons of losing were behind us, and that this would be a turnaround year. I bought into the hype, and now I might feel worse than before. Looking back, it was probably unfair to pile all of these expectations on head coach Eric Morris and quarterback Drew Mestemaker. But still, losing to Tulsa for a second consecutive season doesn’t feel good ever, especially when this season was supposed to be different.
Now #6 Oregon is coming to town, and I can’t help but feel we might see another episode of last year’s 69-3 butt whoopin’. Surely Oklahoma State isn’t actually as bad as they were last year, and surely Eric Morris has more up his sleeve than what we saw last week. Maybe Tulsa isn’t as bad as I thought, and maybe the Cowboys just need some time to adjust to one another. Regardless, Saturday’s matchup with Oregon very likely will be a tough watch for the Loyal and True.
Upsets happen. Underdogs win. Who’s to say Oklahoma State couldn’t pull off an incredible victory to at least somewhat wipe away the bad feelings from last week’s loss? While it’s not likely to happen, the game must be played, and you better believe that Cowboy fans are going to watch in anticipation of something amazing. Let’s just hope that the hope doesn’t disappear in the first few minutes of the game.
How the Cowboys Win
Oklahoma State has a tall task ahead of them, but if they can take care of the ball, grind some clock, and force some turnovers, then…who am I kidding? The Cowboys have almost no chance at winning this game. They will basically have to play perfect and hope for something catastrophic from Oregon.
How the Ducks Win
Oregon’s game plan doesn’t really matter as long as it involves “show up, and don’t screw up.” In all seriousness, if the Ducks just take care of the ball and stick to what they know, this should be an easy win for them.
Odds & Predictions
Staff Score Predictions
| Staff | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Caleb | Oregon 55 – Oklahoma State 7 |
| Craig | Oregon 54 – Oklahoma State 3 |
| Matt | Oregon 38 – Oklahoma State 10 |
| Zack | Oregon 48 – Oklahoma State 20 |
An Oklahoma State Win Would…
- Mark OSU’s first win over an AP top-six team since defeating No. 5 Notre Dame on January 1, 2022.
- Mark OSU’s first win over an AP top-10 team since defeating No. 10 Oklahoma on November 4, 2023.
- Give the Cowboys 31 consecutive wins in home openers, increasing the longest active streak in college football and the third-longest streak overall since at least 1979. The only longer streaks since 1979 are Ohio State’s 35 straight from 1979-2013 and Florida’s 34 straight from 1990-2023.
- Improve OSU to 8-4 at home against AP top-10 teams since 2010.
- Improve OSU to 24-19 in its past 43 matchups against AP top-25 opponents, dating to 2016.
- Make the Cowboys 92-29-5 in home openers.
- Give the Cowboys wins in 51 of its past 57 home openers.
- Improve OSU’s record against Oregon to 1-2 and its record against Oregon in Stillwater to 1-0.
- Mark OSU’s 135th win since the beginning of the 2010 season, ranking among the top 15 in the FBS.
- Make the Cowboys 30-8 in the past 38 nonconference games and 52-14 in its past 66 non-conference games.
- End the longest losing streak in program history at 12 games.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
- OSU has won a program-record 30 consecutive home openers, which is the longest active streak in the
- FBS and the third-longest streak overall since at least 1979.
- Dating back to 2008, OSU is 83-14 when winning the turnover battle.
- Dating back to 2005, OSU is 50-7 when not committing a turnover.
- OSU has won 87 of its past 90 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 99.
- OSU is 40-23 in its past 63 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
- OSU is 52-10 in its past 62 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
- OSU has won five of its past seven overtime games.
- Drew Mestemaker has passed for at least 200 yards in 16-straight games – the longest active streak in the FBS. He’s passed for at least 250 yards in five of his past six games.
- Mestemaker has thrown at least one touchdown in 15 of his past 16 games.
- Caleb Hawkins has scored multiple touchdowns in six of his past eight games. He’s scored at least three touchdowns in five of his past seven.
- Hawkins has rushed for at least 100 yards in four of his past seven games.
- Wyatt Young has had more than 100 receiving yards in five of his past nine games.
- Israel Polk has at least one catch in each of his past 24 games played.
- Miles Coleman has at least one catch in each of his past 20 games played.
- Wyatt Young has at least one catch in each of his past 16 games played.
- Caleb Hawkins has at least one catch in each of his past 14 games played.
- Chris Barnes has at least one catch in each of his past 13 games played.
- Ethan Wesloski has made at least one tackle in 40 consecutive games, including every game he’s played since the beginning of the 2023 season. He’s had at least four tackles in 12 straight games.
- Jack Puckett has made at least one tackle in 34 of the 35 games of his career and at least three tackles in 30 games. He played at the Div. II level until 2026.
- Isaiah Chisom has made at least two tackles in 27 straight games.
- Quinton Hammonds has made at least two tackles in 12 straight games.
- Jaleel Johnson has made at least two tackles in 10 straight games
- Christian Bodnar has made at least three tackles in seven straight games.
- LaDainian Fields has started seven straight games for OSU, the longest streak of any player on the roster.