Oklahoma State won’t have to wait long to learn its Halloween kickoff.
The Big 12 has already locked in the Cowboys’ Oct. 31 matchup with Iowa State for 6 p.m. on FS1, giving Oklahoma State a prime-time slot for the third straight game since its bye week. The night window follows a stretch that has kept the Cowboys under the lights, including Saturday’s 6 p.m. matchup with Colorado, also on FS1.
That run comes after Oklahoma State’s 35-32 loss to Houston snapped the Cowboys’ four-game winning streak. OSU jumped ahead briefly early, then finished strong enough to score on four of its final five possessions, but the Cougars still pulled away behind more than 500 yards of total offense against the Cowboys’ defense.
The loss knocked Oklahoma State out of both major polls, as the Cowboys dropped from the AP Top 25 and the USA Today Top 25 coaches’ poll.
Even so, OSU is still hanging around as a surprise Big 12 Championship contender, though the path is not exactly friendly. Three teams in the league remain unbeaten: BYU, Texas Tech and Utah.
BYU took one of the biggest wins of Week 7 by beating Notre Dame, 28-24. Utah edged Colorado, 27-24, and Texas Tech rolled past Arizona State, 53-25.
The Cowboys won’t face BYU or Utah, but they do still have Texas Tech on the schedule when the Red Raiders visit Nov. 14.
For now, Oklahoma State’s next three opponents are all unranked: Colorado this Saturday, Iowa State on Oct. 31 and Kansas State on Nov. 7.
The Kansas State game will be on the road. Iowa State did not play in Week 7, while Kansas State beat Kansas for the 18th straight season.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Let A Winnable Game Slip Away In Houston
Oklahoma State had enough offense to make things interesting at TDECU Stadium, but the early mistakes proved costly in a 35-32 loss to Houston. The Cowboys got behind 14-3 at halftime, then spent the second half trying to dig out of the hole while Drew Mestemaker threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns.
Even with 29 points after intermission, Oklahoma State never fully erased the damage from a sloppy opening stretch against a Houston team that was sharp enough to capitalize. The defeat leaves the Cowboys at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 play, with plenty to unpack after a game that was there to be won. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Faces A Colorado Team Still Searching For Answers
Colorado heads to Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday still trying to steady an offense that has not found its footing in Big 12 play. The Buffaloes are 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the league, and the trip to Stillwater comes with a new look at quarterback as Isaac Wilson takes over for Julian Lewis.
The switch adds another layer of uncertainty for a Colorado team that has struggled to put points on the board, averaging just 19.5 per game and sitting last in the Big 12. For Oklahoma State, it means facing an opponent searching for answers on the road, with the Cowboys getting a front-row seat to a lineup in flux and an offense that has yet to show it can keep pace. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State's Recruiting Surge Just Added Another Huge Future Piece
Oklahoma States womens basketball recruiting momentum picked up another big future addition with the commitment of Payton Caudle, a highly regarded guard from Fayetteville, Arkansas. The pledge is non-binding for now, but it gives the Cowgirls another promising piece to add to a recruiting run that has already been intertwined with roster planning, new eligibility rules and the arrival of transfers who could help shape the next few seasons.
Caudles commitment also fits the broader picture around the program, which has been collecting preseason recognition while trying to balance present-day expectations with long-term construction. The earliest she can sign is during the upcoming early signing period, so the next step is still ahead, but the move adds another layer to a recruiting surge that has Oklahoma State trending in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]