Oklahoma State will head into Saturday’s matchup with Kansas State missing two key pieces on defense, as linebacker Tate Romney and defensive end Jaleel Johnson have both been ruled out because of injuries suffered last weekend against Iowa State.
That gives the Cowboys five players officially out for the game. Tight end Carson Kolb and wide receiver Dayvon Standard had already been ruled out, and defensive tackle Landon Dean was also downgraded to out.
The losses matter most on a defense that took a beating in the 51-point, nearly 600-yard showing allowed in last weekend’s loss to the Cyclones. Romney was right in the middle of it, posting a game-high nine tackles with a tackle for loss and a forced fumble. He now sits at a career-best 61 tackles on the season, along with 1.5 sacks and that forced fumble.
With Romney unavailable, Oklahoma State will likely turn to Isaiah Chisom, who is listed as the starter at WILL linebacker, to pair with Ethan Wesloski, the team’s leading tackler.
Johnson’s absence also stings up front. He recorded a quarterback hurry before leaving the Cyclones game with an injury that left his arm in a sling. In his fifth year with the Cowboys, he has been viewed as one of the leaders among the holdover defensive players who stayed when head coach Eric Morris took over the program from Mike Gundy in December.
On the defensive line, Oklahoma State will probably lean more on Malik Charles and Keviyan Huddleston. The two have combined for 4.5 sacks in rotational work alongside Johnson, and Charles also has an interception.
There was some better news for the Cowboys on Friday, when safety Quinton Hammonds and wide receiver Wyatt Young were removed from the report, signaling both are expected to play. Hammonds was back last week after missing time with an injury suffered against Colorado, while Young had been a surprise addition to the report on Thursday.
Kansas State also made several changes on its report. The Wildcats moved safety Koy Beasley, linebacker Sawyer Schilke, tight end Lawson McGraw and defensive tackle Eli Jackson from questionable to doubtful. Linebacker DJ Ackerson Jr. was upgraded to probable, and running back Jay Harris was removed from the list.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State's Offensive Outburst Raised One Big Early Question
Oklahoma States season opener turned into a runaway at Gallagher-Iba Arena, where the Cowboys overwhelmed Queens (NC) 118-68 behind a blistering shooting night and a deep bench. Oklahoma State hit 62.0% of its shots, knocked down 16 three-pointers and got 74 points from its reserves, the kind of all-around offensive burst that can make an early November game feel over before it settles in.
The performance also came with a pile of record-book footnotes, a reminder that the Cowboys were not just efficient but disruptive from start to finish. There was plenty to like in the pace, the balance and the pressure, even if the bigger question now is how much of that production can carry over when the competition tightens and the easy baskets disappear. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Gets A Huge Opening In Critical Kansas State Trip
Oklahoma State heads into a tricky November road test in Manhattan with a chance to steady itself after a loss to Iowa State, and the timing could hardly be better. The Cowboys are 5-3 overall and 3-2 in Big 12 play, and Saturday's noon CT kickoff at Bill Snyder Family Stadium gives them a chance to keep pace in the conference against a Kansas State team that has had an uneven season.
The Wildcats are 4-4 and just 1-4 in league play, and the matchup already carried plenty of weight before the latest quarterback wrinkle added another layer of uncertainty. For Oklahoma State, it is the kind of game that can change the tone of a stretch run, with the broadcast set for TNT and streaming available on Fubo. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Finally Delivered The Breakthrough Fans Had Been Waiting For
For a team that had spent too much of the Big 12 season chasing a first-half foothold, Saturday finally brought the kind of start Oklahoma State had been waiting for. The Cowboys jumped on Kansas State early and never let up in a 66-28 win, scoring touchdowns on all four first-quarter drives and taking a 35-point lead into halftime, their first Big 12 halftime advantage of the year. Drew Mestemaker was sharp from the outset, completing all nine of his passes for 117 yards, while Caleb Hawkins kept the pressure on with a bursty ground game that helped turn the afternoon into a runaway.
The bigger picture was just as important as the scoreboard. With the victory, Oklahoma State became bowl eligible for the first time since 2023, a needed milestone for a program looking to steady itself after a rocky stretch. The defense also had its own breakout moments, with sophomore cornerback LaDainian Fields coming up with two interceptions as the Cowboys put together a complete performance that felt overdue in every phase. [Read more 🡒]