Oklahoma State gets a shot to stop the slide and get right at home Saturday night, but Colorado is bringing its own problems into Stillwater.
The Cowboys are 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 play, yet the mood shifted after last Saturday’s 35-32 loss at Houston. Oklahoma State had climbed to No. 18 after winning four straight following its season-opening loss to Tulsa, only to see that run halted by the then-No.
20 Cougars. Houston piled up 505 yards of offense, and the defeat knocked the Cowboys out of the AP Top 25.
Still, Oklahoma State is banking on a bounce-back. Coach Eric Morris pointed to the defense, even with the numbers Houston put up. The Cowboys were without safety Mose Phillips III, who was sidelined by a shoulder injury suffered Oct. 10 against UCF, and Morris said Tuesday that Phillips will miss Saturday’s game, too.
"Our D-line's doing some really good things right now, so it's definitely not on the D-line," he said Tuesday.
Morris also said quarterback Drew Mestemaker could have been sharper against Houston, despite a productive line: 365 passing yards, three touchdowns, 22 completions on 34 attempts and one interception. Oklahoma State trailed 14-3 at halftime before rallying.
"Probably not his best performance, but he's maybe the toughest kid on our team ... he continued to battle," Morris said. "His competitive character is through the roof ... he gave us a chance at the end."
Colorado comes in on a four-game losing streak and at 2-4 overall, 0-3 in the Big 12. The Buffaloes fell 27-24 at home to then-No. 11 Utah last week, a game in which quarterback Isaac Wilson threw two touchdown passes and two interceptions after taking over the starting job from Julian Lewis against Baylor last month.
Deion Sanders said he still trusts Wilson.
"Isaac is that guy. So I'm going to keep on loving him, keep on developing him, keep on giving him opportunities," Sanders said.
Colorado is allowing 357.2 yards and 25.7 points per game, and the Buffaloes may also be dealing with a question at running back. Micah Welch, their second-leading rusher this season with 220 yards on 45 carries, was "hurting" and did not practice Tuesday because of a hand injury. His status for Saturday is uncertain.
In Other News...
Colorado Is Still Turning Road Games Into Must-See Events
Colorados visit to Stillwater is still carrying the kind of buzz that tends to follow Deion Sanders team, even in a stretch where the results have gone against the Buffaloes. Oklahoma State is set for its 105th homecoming game, and the matchup has already been announced as a sellout, giving the weekend the feel of a bigger occasion than a typical late-season stop on the schedule.
The demand has shown up in the resale market, where this game is drawing the highest prices of Oklahoma States remaining home dates. Even with Colorados losing streak in the background, the Buffaloes continue to bring a national profile that makes road games feel like events, and this one has landed in that category before anyone has taken a snap. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Heads To Colorado With One Warning Fans Cant Ignore
Eric Morris did not sound like a coach overlooking Colorado just because the Buffaloes are sitting on two wins. He called them the best two-win team in the country, pointing to how competitive they have been and the experience they bring into the matchup, a reminder that Oklahoma State is walking into a game with more danger than the record suggests.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, are still juggling personnel on the back end and in the return game. Senior safety Mose Phillips III is out again with a shoulder issue, and the special teams picture also shifted when Braylin Presley got his first chance handling kickoff returns after the top option was nicked up. Those little adjustments can matter on the road, especially against a Colorado team that has made a habit of staying in games. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Just Got Hope In A Frontcourt Battle That Isn't Over
Parsa Fallahs path back to the floor has gotten a little clearer, even if it is far from settled. The Oklahoma State big man has been back around the program since August as he works his way back from a torn ACL, and a new injunction in the Glancey vs. NCAA case gives him another reason to keep pushing while he rehabs and waits on medical clearance.
The legal fight is still going, with the NCAA planning to appeal, so nothing about Fallahs status is fully locked in yet. For now, though, Steve Lutz is treating Fallah and another player on temporary injunctions like full members of the roster, which gives the Cowboys a bit of hope in the frontcourt while they wait to see whether the eligibility picture changes again. [Read more 🡒]