Tulsa didn’t just beat Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon. It walked into the Cowboys’ supposed reset and ripped the script apart again.
A year after the Golden Hurricane snapped a 10-game losing streak against their in-state opponent, Tulsa backed it up with a 24-10 win that came from start to finish. For Oklahoma State, it was the first game under Eric Morris, a debut loaded with new faces, big expectations and a roster built almost entirely from the portal. For Tulsa, it was another reminder that the Cowboys still haven’t shaken the problems that made last season such a mess.
The Cowboys arrived with an FBS-record 91 newcomers and the kind of offensive firepower Morris brought with him from North Texas. Oklahoma State added the No. 1 passer, the No. 5 rusher and the No. 3 receiver from Morris’ offense, the same unit that led the country in points per game last season. But none of that mattered much once Tulsa’s defense took control.
The Golden Hurricane won the turnover battle 4-0 and never let Oklahoma State get comfortable. On the Cowboys’ first possession, quarterback Drew Mestemaker pushed the ball deep into Tulsa territory before the drive stalled at the 3-yard line. Facing 4th and 1, Caleb Hawkins was stopped short by linebacker Chris Thompson Jr., who finished with a game-high 10 tackles in his first action since 2024 after missing all of last season with an injury.
That set the tone. Tulsa kept the game tight through the first half, then broke through late before the break. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Baylor Hayes, who also guided Tulsa’s 2025 win over Oklahoma State, hit Tulane transfer receiver Jimmy Calloway for 47 yards to set up Damari Alston’s touchdown run and a 10-3 halftime lead.
Oklahoma State had chances to answer after the break, but Tulsa kept making the critical plays. The Golden Hurricane missed a field goal early in the third quarter, then extended the lead on a short Hayes pass to Oran Singleton Jr., who broke a tackle and raced down the sideline for a touchdown and a 17-3 advantage.
The Cowboys finally found some life when Mestemaker led a 75-yard march and threw his only touchdown of the day to Justin Bowick with 1:52 left in the third quarter. But that was as close as Oklahoma State would get.
Down seven in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys had two more shots to tie it. One drive ended in a punt.
The other died on 4th and 1 when Tulsa stopped Miles Coleman at the line of scrimmage. Oklahoma State finished 2-of-6 on fourth down, a rough night for a team trying to find its footing under Morris.
Tulsa then slammed the door with two more decisive plays. Alston added his second rushing touchdown of the day, and safety Zach Williams delivered the defensive knockout by jumping a Mestemaker throw into the end zone and coming down with the interception while keeping one foot in bounds.
Mestemaker finished with 241 passing yards and saw his streak of five straight games with multiple touchdown passes come to an end. Hawkins, last year’s FBS leader in rushing touchdowns, was held out of the end zone and finished with 78 rushing yards.
Tulsa had its own issues, going 1-of-11 on third down and not converting until late in the fourth quarter. The Golden Hurricane also committed 11 penalties, including several pass interference calls that extended Oklahoma State drives.
But none of that changed the outcome. Tulsa controlled the line of scrimmage, kept the Cowboys out of rhythm and spoiled Morris’ debut before it ever had a chance to breathe.
In Other News...
Oklahoma States Eric Morris Debut Raised Concerns Fans Cant Ignore
Tulsas 24-10 win in Stillwater did more than snap Oklahoma States 11-game season-opening streak. It exposed how quickly a promising afternoon can tilt when the Cowboys lose control of field position, give away possessions and fail to finish drives, all while trying to sort out what the Eric Morris era is supposed to look like in real time. The game never found a steady rhythm for Oklahoma State, and Tulsa made sure the few explosive moments belonged to the visitors.
The Cowboys also took an early hit up front when left tackle Jacob Sexton went down and had to be carted off, a blow that only added to the sense of unease around the offense. Tulsa, meanwhile, created the kind of chunk gains Oklahoma State never matched, and the Cowboys problems on fourth down kept them from turning scattered progress into anything lasting. For a fan base hoping for a clean reset, the opener left plenty of questions and not many easy answers. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Has A Tulsa Problem Fans Can't Ignore
Tulsas latest trip to Stillwater ended with a result Oklahoma State fans did not want to see and one that carried a little more historical weight than a normal nonconference loss. Baylor Hayes managed the game efficiently, completing 17 of 24 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown, while the Golden Hurricane defense kept the Cowboys off balance by forcing four turnovers and limiting their fourth-down chances in a 24-10 win.
For a program trying to reset momentum, the part that stings is how complete Tulsa looked doing it. Tre Lamb had sounded confident before kickoff, and afterward the Golden Hurricane coach had reason to feel even better about the way his team handled the moment. The scoreboard told one story, but the way Tulsa controlled enough of the game to make the final margin feel manageable left Oklahoma State with a problem it cannot just brush aside. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State's New Era Just Opened With A Brutal Big 12 Warning
The first game of Oklahoma States next chapter arrived with plenty of anticipation and a reminder that change in the Big 12 can be harsh. In the 2026 season opener, the Cowboys fell 24-10 to Tulsa, a result that immediately tempered any optimism around the new-look program and showed how quickly an opener can turn into a reality check.
Drew Mestemaker finished 29 of 49 for 241 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions, while Caleb Hawkins and Wyatt Young chipped in on offense as Oklahoma State tried to find a rhythm. Instead, the night belonged to Tulsa, leaving the Cowboys with an early setback and a bigger question hanging over how this revamped era is going to take shape from here. [Read more 🡒]