The Oklahoma State Cowboys will open the second half of their schedule on Oct. 24 in Stillwater, and by the time Colorado comes to town, the picture around this team should be a lot clearer.
That matters because the Cowboys have already lived through a season like this. In 2025, they were 1-5 at this point, Mike Gundy was out, and the search for a new head coach was already underway before Eric Morris eventually got the job. So when Oklahoma State gets to Game 7 in 2026, there should be a real sense of where things stand.
Colorado is trying to sort out its own direction, too. Deion Sanders is entering his fourth season in charge and continuing to reshape the roster in search of a Big 12 push. The Buffs are built around athletes, and that’s where this matchup starts: Oklahoma State has to be ready to match that speed and handle it when Colorado’s individual playmakers break free.
For the Cowboys, the formula is straightforward. They run the Air Raid, so the offense is going to be moving fast and snapping off a lot of plays.
The best path is to jump ahead early, keep the lead, and let the defense work from there. That means constant pressure on quarterback Julian Lewis.
Turnovers could decide everything here. If Oklahoma State is the likely home favorite, it can’t treat that like a free pass.
Colorado finished only two wins ahead of the Cowboys last season, and when you compare what both programs brought in through transfers, Oklahoma State looks better on paper. But that edge only matters if the Cowboys protect the football and stay disciplined.
Multiple giveaways would be the fastest way to hand the game back.
Lewis is the name to watch on Colorado’s side. The buzz around him was loud when he was set to open last season as a true freshman, and Sanders handled that situation carefully.
Lewis played in four games and showed the athleticism and raw talent that made him one of the top recruits in the country. With Brennan Marion now in as offensive coordinator, the offense should fit Lewis better.
By the time Oklahoma State gets to this game, it should have plenty of tape on him. Lewis should also be more settled in the offense. If the Cowboys can’t slow him down, the night could get long in a hurry.
Colorado’s pass rush could also be a real wrinkle. It may not be exotic, but it does look new, with Tulane’s Santana Hopper and a group of FCS standouts expected to give the Buffs waves of pressure in 2026. That kind of depth can wear on an offensive line, especially when it’s coming at quarterback Drew Mestemaker all game long.
That puts the burden on Oklahoma State up front. The line has to hold up snap after snap, because if it doesn’t, Colorado’s chances of forcing a turnover rise fast. And in a game like this, that could be the difference.
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5 Colorado Names Oklahoma State Fans Need For Oct. 24
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At quarterback, receiver, tight end and across the defense, Colorado is trying to find reliable answers fast, and several newcomers are already being asked to carry real weight. Lewis, Williams, Atkins, Hopper and Lefau all sit in that group of players who could determine how competitive Colorado looks by the time the Cowboys see them, even if the full picture still has some important pieces to be sorted out before then. [Read more 🡒]