Oklahoma State’s 2026 schedule has plenty of room for optimism, but the real pressure point arrives in a brutal four-game run that could decide whether the Cowboys are heading toward a bowl or grinding just to get to six wins.
That’s a notable shift for a program that managed only one win last year and has totaled just four victories over the past two seasons. The Cowboys are banking on Eric Morris to change the mood in Stillwater. Morris arrives from North Texas after going 11-2 and reaching the American Conference championship game with the Mean Green, and he brings much of that operation with him - staff, scheme and nearly 20 former North Texas players, including quarterback Drew Mestemaker.
The expectation level has clearly changed, even if the ceiling is still being measured with caution. Oklahoma State has an 18-game Big 12 losing streak entering the season, and few are looking at this team as a serious conference-title threat. Still, a bowl trip is within reach, and that makes the stretch beginning Oct. 31 at Iowa State so important.
The opener comes on Halloween in a road game against a Cyclones team that is also under new leadership. Jimmy Rogers takes over at Iowa State after Matt Campbell left for Penn State, and he inherits a roster packed with transfers, including former OSU quarterback Zane Flores. It’s a tricky first stop to launch the stretch, especially on the road in the Big 12, where the weird stuff tends to show up fast.
Then comes another road test the following week at Kansas State on Nov. 7.
The Wildcats have their own new coach, but this is a familiar name for Oklahoma State: former Heisman Trophy finalist Collin Klein. He’s tasked with getting the most out of quarterback Avery Johnson, and that could pay off in a hurry.
The Cowboys’ last trip to Manhattan ended in a 42-20 loss in 2024, so this is hardly a comfort stop.
After that, Oklahoma State finally returns home on Nov. 14, but the break doesn’t exactly soften the path. Texas Tech comes to Stillwater, and the Red Raiders, even with the Brendan Sorsby drama, are expected to be among the Big 12’s top contenders again after reaching the title game last season.
Last year’s meeting in Lubbock was a 42-0 blowout, though this one should be closer. Still, it’s the kind of game that can feel heavier if the Cowboys have already taken hits in Iowa City and Manhattan.
The run wraps up Nov. 21 at Arizona State, where Kenny Dillingham has already made Tempe a difficult place to play. The Sun Devils are just a year removed from their Big 12 crown, won eight games last season and brought in a Top 15 transfer class. Add in the reality of three road games in four weeks, and the final leg of this stretch looks draining on paper.
By the time Oklahoma State gets to its Nov. 28 finale against Kansas, this four-game block could tell the whole story. If the Cowboys are sitting on four or five wins before it begins, the question becomes whether they’re a legitimate Big 12 factor, a bowl team or a squad still chasing that sixth win.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Transfer's Fight For One More Year Changes Everything
Kashie Natts path to Oklahoma State has taken a detour into the courtroom, where the former Sam Houston guard is challenging the NCAA over his eligibility. The lawsuit, filed in Payne County, says the association did not properly handle his waiver request under its own bylaws, and the dispute now hangs over whether the transfer will get another chance to suit up for the Cowboys.
At the center of the case is the NCAAs five-year clock, with the question of when Natts timeline should really start after his junior college enrollment. For Oklahoma State, it is more than an abstract rules fight because Natt is expected to be part of the roster if he is cleared, and the outcome could shape how the program plans around his addition as well as the broader backcourt picture. [Read more 🡒]