Oklahoma State heads into Saturday’s trip to Morgantown with something bigger than momentum on the line. The Cowboys are 2-1, riding a two-game winning streak, and staring at a chance to finally break a Big 12 drought that has stretched since the end of the 2023 season. The last conference win came against BYU, and since then the Cowboys have kept coming up short in league play.
That makes this one feel different. It is not just another September road game. It is a shot to leave West Virginia with a win and finally put that streak to bed.
The biggest challenge may come right at the line of scrimmage. West Virginia brings the No. 6 rushing offense in the country, piling up 281.3 yards per game.
Running back Cam Cook has been excellent, but he is only part of the problem for opposing defenses. Quarterback Michael Hawkins is also a major factor, and he fits Rich Rodriguez’s offense perfectly.
Against Virginia, Hawkins and Cook both ran for 123 yards, and Hawkins added three touchdowns on the ground.
That kind of two-pronged attack is a real stress test for Oklahoma State’s defense. The Cowboys are tied for 35th nationally against the run, allowing 100 yards per game, and they have tackled well so far, especially on the edge.
Still, this looks like their toughest assignment yet. Hawkins and Cook are the best rushing threats OSU has seen to this point, and the Cowboys will need that strong tackling to hold up again.
Protection will be just as important on the other side. Oklahoma State has done a solid job keeping quarterback Drew Mestemaker upright, but West Virginia has found ways to get after the passer.
The Mountaineers are tied for 10th nationally with 10 sacks, and those takedowns have come from nine different players. That kind of spread-out pressure says a lot about how well West Virginia rotates its front.
For an OSU offensive line that has held up well against Oregon and Murray State, this is a meaningful test. West Virginia is not leaning on one dominant rusher.
It is a pass rush built on depth and waves of bodies, which makes it harder to game-plan against. If the Cowboys block like they did in those earlier games, Mestemaker should have a chance to work.
And there should be chances through the air. West Virginia’s defense enters the game tied for 114th in the country, giving up 246.7 passing yards per game.
That opens the door for Mestemaker to make plays. The issue is whether he can keep the ball clean.
Turnovers have been a problem. Mestemaker has six already, and even when he was limited to one against Murray State, that turnover came under pressure and while he was not protecting the football well.
On the road, that kind of issue can flip a game fast. The Mountaineers will be trying to bait him into a mistake, and this looks like a game where avoiding one altogether would go a long way.
Oklahoma State also has to clean up its work in the red zone. The Cowboys rank No. 106 nationally in red zone offense at 78.9%, with 19 trips producing four rushing touchdowns, five passing touchdowns, six field goals and 15 scores overall. They are putting points on the board, but they are not finishing enough drives the way they should.
That matters even more because West Virginia has been excellent in the same area. The Mountaineers are tied for fourth in the country in red zone defense at 55.6%, allowing nine trips and only four touchdowns, plus one field goal. If OSU keeps stalling inside the 20, it could leave points on the field that it cannot afford to miss.
Then there is the coaching chess match. Eric Morris admitted after the Tulsa loss that he was too aggressive, especially on fourth down.
He pulled back some against Oregon and Murray State, and it helped. Now he runs into Rich Rodriguez, a coach who shares that same aggressive mindset.
Morris and Rodriguez both like to push the envelope on third down and are comfortable going for it on fourth. Neither seems interested in punting unless forced to.
Morris said Tuesday that he has never coached against Rodriguez, and that he did not meet him until Big 12 meetings in May. That means this one will be a study in film and instincts, with neither coach really knowing the other’s tendencies firsthand.
If Morris makes the right calls and the Cowboys handle the pressure, they have a real chance to walk out of Morgantown with the win they have been chasing.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Faces A Bigger Test Than Replacing Mike Gundy
Oklahoma State is heading into a stretch where the football questions are no longer limited to who takes over after Mike Gundy. The university announced on Sept. 23 that it and its longtime head coach had parted ways effective immediately, a move delivered through a press release from the media relations office and one that instantly shifted attention across the program.
The ripple effect has already reached beyond the sideline, and it is showing up in places the Cowboys rarely have to worry about this early in a transition. For a fan base used to measuring the program through coaching stability and game-day momentum, the next challenge is not just filling a vacancy. It is managing the kind of demand that can tell its own story about where the program stands right now. [Read more 🡒]
Miles Coleman Helped Shape An Oklahoma State QB Story Fans Never Saw
Miles Colemans connection to Drew Mestemaker traces back to a friendship that has already shaped more than one college decision. Coleman, now a receiver at Oklahoma State, played a part in steering his best friend toward North Texas, where Mestemaker saw a chance to keep building his career while lining up again with someone he knew well. The fit also mattered on the football side, with the offensive system under coach Eric Morris giving Mestemaker another reason to lean into the opportunity.
What makes the story interesting for Oklahoma State fans is how the path almost played out somewhere else before the two ended up together again in Stillwater. Colemans influence went beyond a simple recommendation, and the decision eventually brought Mestemaker into the same program after a winding recruiting process. It is the kind of backstory that rarely gets much attention at the time, even though it helps explain why certain relationships follow players from one stop to the next. [Read more 🡒]
Former Oklahoma State Standouts Made Their Presence Felt Across The NFL
A handful of former Oklahoma State standouts left their mark across Week 2 of the 2026-27 NFL season, turning in the kind of varied Sunday that keeps Cowboys fans scanning box scores all afternoon. Across the league, those alumni were active in a mix of winning and losing efforts, with several players finding ways to contribute for their teams while others navigated injuries and shifting game-day status.
Chuba Hubbard was among the names that stood out most, helping Carolina in its win over Atlanta, while Jaylen Warren again showed his value in Pittsburgh even as the Steelers came up short against New England. The broader picture was encouraging for Oklahoma State followers, with multiple former Cowboys involved in the action and a few more situations still worth watching as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]