STILLWATER - Oklahoma State spent part of Tuesday practice with John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” blasting through the Sherman E. Smith Training Center, a fitting soundtrack for a team heading into its first Big 12 road test.
The song, closely tied to West Virginia football, was played on repeat as the Cowboys wrapped up practice and turned the page from a 59-0 win over Murray State to Saturday’s 6 p.m. kickoff at West Virginia. Coach Eric Morris said there were other songs on the playlist earlier in the day, but the message was clear: OSU is moving on.
Now comes the part Morris is most interested in seeing his team handle.
“But I think going on the road and just handling the distractions will be big for us,” Morris said. “First time we’ve gotten on a plane together across the country.
You don’t stay close to the stadium there, stay outside of West Virginia, you’ve got to travel in there. So, there’s so many things that I think can be distractions, and hopefully we’ll do a nice job of eliminating those.”
This will be Oklahoma State’s first out-of-state game of the season after a road trip to Tulsa and two home games. The Cowboys have done well in Morgantown before, going 5-2 there and not losing since 2013. That same season, Texas Tech beat West Virginia 37-27 with Morris serving as offensive coordinator, and he said he typically revisits that game later in the week.
“But what a great opportunity for our team to go on the road … it’s just so many things you dream about,” Morris said. “National TV, football weather, under the lights, undefeated team, first Big 12 game.
There are so many cool storylines for our teams to get excited for. They’re a really well-coached team, and we're going to have to play really, really well.”
Morris also had plenty of respect for West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, another offensive-minded coach with a long track record.
The two met for the first time this summer at Big 12 meetings, though Morris had been familiar with Rodriguez’s work for years. He pointed to Rodriguez’s West Virginia teams, as well as later stops at Arizona and Jacksonville State, as teams that stood out to him.
“He was in charge of leading our meetings, and so just kind of watched him from afar, like for so many years,” Morris said. “I remember back in the day when I was young and remembering how good Pat White and those guys were, and Tavon Austin and even our kids today, like the Tavon Austin highlights reel they still talk about that today and just how dynamic those teams were, and so that's really kind of where it popped into my head and started noticing kind of what he what he was doing, and, obviously, was able to watch him at Arizona there for a couple years, and then you know Jacksonville State did a phenomenal job back here.”
Oklahoma State should also get a boost on offense with sophomore receiver Chris Barnes returning after missing last week because of a shoulder injury.
“Excited to get Chris Barnes back this week,” Morris said. “I think he just adds some explosiveness out there.”
Barnes had 87 receiving yards on seven catches through two games, ranking third among Cowboy receivers.
Morris added that offensive linemen Joseph Hanson and Braydon Nelson, along with tight end Oscar Hammonds, are practicing. OSU has a bye week after the West Virginia game.
The Cowboys still haven’t settled on a clear No. 2 running back behind sophomore Caleb Hawkins, and that may not change soon. Against Murray State, fifth-year back Ayo Adeyi ran seven times for 67 yards, and Morris described him as a “seasoned vet, a guy we can count on in a lot of different ways.”
Sophomore Tre Page III, freshman KD Jones and UCO transfer William Mason also got work in the backfield. Morris said Mason “did a nice job,” while Page brings “speed and electricity” as a change of pace. He added that Page needs to hold up better through contact and has been stronger running outside the tackles than inside them.
“I would assume you’ll see all four of them at some point and William has done such a great job as a four-quarter special teams. He might be the only guy on our team that’s starting on every special teams right now so tough, dependable, reliable. Been a great asset to our team.”
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Faces A Bigger Injury Concern Than Fans Wanted
Mike Gundys injury update ahead of Oklahoma States Week 4 matchup with West Virginia offered a little relief and a little more uncertainty in equal measure. The Cowboys are still sorting through a group of players whose availability is being monitored closely, with names like Chris Barnes, Oates, Rigsby, Hammond, Hanson and Nelson all in various stages of concern as the week moves on.
The biggest setback in the mix remains up front, where Jacob Sextons season-ending lower right leg injury leaves a hole at left tackle that will have to be managed for the long haul. Barnes is expected to be back this week, but several others, including Oates, Rigsby and Hanson, still look unsettled as Oklahoma State heads toward Wednesdays injury report and a game plan that may need some late adjustments. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma States First Big 12 Lineup Choice Says Plenty Before West Virginia
Oklahoma State is heading into its first Big 12 test of the 2026 season with the kind of backdrop that makes every lineup decision feel larger than usual. The Cowboys are trying to turn the page on conference play after a long run of league frustration, and the matchup with West Virginia gives them an early chance to show whether the reset can look different this time around.
West Virginia brings an unbeaten record into the game, which only raises the stakes for the Cowboys first conference depth chart of the year. The release of that lineup offered the first real hint at how Oklahoma State plans to attack the Mountaineers, and it said plenty about the staffs thinking before a game that already feels important for more than just the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Is Counting On One Newcomer In A Brutal Spot
Oklahoma State has turned over almost everything this fall, with 91 new players reshaping the roster and a heavy dose of transfers giving the Cowboys a very different look. Among the newcomers, cornerback Mo Horn stands out because he arrives with real Big 12 mileage from Texas Tech and the kind of experience this team needs as it tries to steady itself early in conference play.
Horn is expected to be part of the solution in a spot where Oklahoma State cannot afford much learning on the job. The Cowboys open league play in Morgantown, a place Horn already knows from his time with the Red Raiders, and his early production has only strengthened the sense that he can help a defense that badly needs reliable veterans if the conference losing streak is going to end. [Read more 🡒]