The Oklahoma State Cowboys entered Saturday’s meeting with the Murray State Racers as a 55.5-point favorite, the most points in which they have been favored in years. While nobody anticipated the game to be particularly close, I’m not sure how many people actually expected the Cowboys to cover such a giant spread. Not only did Oklahoma State cover, but they made it look easy.
The Cowboys jumped out to a quick lead, scoring on their first drive in just under 3 minutes. Quarterback Drew Mestemaker led Oklahoma State to A 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and a 31-0 lead at halftime, continuing his dominant play. He led the Cowboys to another quick touchdown to start the second half before taking a seat for the day, finishing with 324 yards and 5 touchdowns through the air on 20-of-22 (91%) passing. True freshman Broderick Vehrs ran the offense the rest of the way, completing all 6 of his passes for 37 yards and a touchdown, as the Cowboys routed the Racers 59-0.
More History Taking Place in Stillwater
For the better part of Mike Gundy’s career as Oklahoma State football’s head coach, the Cowboys became synonymous with one of the best offenses in the nation. It’s been a few years since Oklahoma State fans have seen a high-octane offense that can score at will, but head coach Eric Morris has Drew Mestemaker and the offense humming along quite nicely.
The Cowboys scored at least 50 points for the first time in four years, dominating the game with 662 yards of total offense that led to 8 touchdowns. Mestemaker was responsible for most of the scoring, throwing for 5 touchdowns, and 10 different players caught a pass. Justin Bowick led the team with 9 receptions for 178 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Perhaps the most encouraging sign from the offense was the run game as Oklahoma State amassed 301 yards on the ground. 5 different players recorded at least 46 rushing yards, including Tre Page III (58 yards) and KD Jones (54 yards), who each scored a touchdown.
The Big 12 is a conference known more for offense than defense, and as conference play begins next weekend in Morgantown, the Cowboys are going to need to keep the ball moving to beat a West Virginia squad that moved to 3-0 on the season after a 38-27 win on Saturday over #25 Virginia. A balanced attack is key to success, and Mestemaker is holding up his end of the deal by moving the ball through the air. Caleb Hawkins didn’t find the end zone against Murray State, but he racked up 72 rushing yards on just 11 carries, and Ayo Adeyi recorded 67 yards on just 7 carries. The combo of Hawkins as the power back and Adeyi as the smaller, quicker speed back makes the Cowboy rushing attack a dynamic one.
Is the Defense Legit?
The first three games of the season have been an interesting ride for the Cowboys, and while the preseason hype was focused on the offense, perhaps more attention should be given to the defense. After dropping a 24-10 decision to Tulsa in week 1, questions surrounded the team in every aspect, but sentiments shifted after the 39-31 win over Oregon in week 2. The Cowboys essentially spotted the Ducks 14 points due to two Mestemaker interceptions, so when you consider that the Cowboy defense was really only responsible for 17 of Oregon’s points, maybe they’re a lot better than we realized.
Oregon was touted as one of the top offenses in the country, but the Cowboys got the better of the Ducks throughout the game. Murray State is definitely not a true test for a Power 4 defense, but the Cowboys didn’t allow a single point for the first time in 5 years. The Racers managed just 160 yards of total offense, and more than half of that came in the first quarter. Once Oklahoma State settled in, it wasn’t just containment: it was pure domination.
Limiting big plays is a sign of a quality defense, and the Cowboys allowed the Racers just 3 plays of 15+ yards, and 2 of those came in the first quarter. Murray State recorded just 6 first downs, and the Racers finished 0-for-12 on third-down conversion attempts. They did convert 1-of-2 fourth-down conversion attempts, but they missed their only field goal attempt, never having a real chance to score beyond that.
When the Cowboys take on West Virginia next week, they should be well-prepared. Mountaineer quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. is a dual-threat, but he’s not anywhere near as good as Oregon’s Dante Moore. Still, he’s a dangerous runner and a competent passer, and he led the way to victory against Virginia, so he will receive plenty of attention from the Oklahoma State defense.
Ready for Conference Play
The West Virginia Mountaineers are up next on the schedule as the Cowboys will travel to Morgantown, West Virginia—arguably one of the toughest places to play in the Big 12—on Saturday. After defeating #25 Virginia yesterday, the Mountaineers are continuing to surpass preseason expectations. Projected to finish last in the Big 12, West Virginia actually looks like a team that could work their way into the middle of a tight group of competition. This game will be another great test for both teams.
Early odds have the Cowboys favored by a couple of points, but the Mountaineers have a 59.7% chance of winning according to ESPN analytics. Kickoff on Saturday is scheduled for 6 PM, and it will be televised on FS1.