Oklahoma State comes into homecoming week with a chance to do something its fans have been waiting to see: stack a fifth win and make this season look even more like the kind of turnaround Eric Morris envisioned from the start.
The Cowboys are 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 play, and a victory Saturday over Colorado would give them more wins this season than they had in the previous two combined. That alone tells you how far this team has come. Colorado, meanwhile, arrives in Stillwater on a four-game skid, with Deion Sanders still searching for the right formula to get the Buffaloes over the hump.
There is some context worth noting, though. Colorado has been competitive in Big 12 play.
Two of its three conference games have been decided by a combined 13 points, so the Buffaloes have been hanging around. They just haven’t finished the job.
The Cowboys, however, have a chance to make the game feel one-sided early if they finally solve their first-half issue. Outside of the Murray State game, Oklahoma State has averaged fewer than 12 points in the first half of its other five contests. That slow-start problem has been a recurring headache, and Morris even joked that he’s taking suggestions.
This week feels different. Oklahoma State should come out with a shot of energy, land an early big play and follow it with a defensive stop before punching in another score.
The specific play may not be the 75-yard run Drew Mestemaker had against Oregon, but the point is the same: the Cowboys need something explosive to get rolling. My prediction is 24 first-half points for Oklahoma State.
One player who could help make that happen is running back Kaydin Hawkins. Morris already knew Hawkins could catch the ball after what he did as a true freshman at North Texas, and Hawkins has been involved in Oklahoma State’s passing game this season.
But last week against Houston, when the run game was getting stalled, Morris leaned into Hawkins in the screen game and opened up the offense. Hawkins responded with the second-best receiving game by a running back in Oklahoma State history.
That kind of usage could show up again on Saturday. Colorado is a capable run-stopping team, and while the Buffaloes are not as strong in that area as Houston, they’re good enough to force Oklahoma State to get creative.
Hawkins gives the Cowboys a way to do that, and he’s got the speed to turn a short throw into a long gain. I’d expect Morris to get him involved earlier this time, with 110 receiving yards and another touchdown as a reasonable outcome.
On the other side, Colorado’s offense now runs through Kaidon Salter after Julian Lewis wasn’t getting the job done, especially as a runner. Salter has helped steady things since taking over before the Texas Tech game, and he was part of Colorado’s near-comeback against Utah. Still, the issue remains clear: he has five interceptions and only four touchdowns entering this game.
That is the kind of weakness Oklahoma State needs to attack. The Cowboys have not been creating enough turnovers this season, but this matchup gives them a real opportunity. Corners like LaDainian Fields and Mo Horn could have a say in it, especially against a quarterback who has had trouble identifying underneath defenders when traffic is in front of him.
Oklahoma State’s secondary will also be looking to bounce back after last week. If the Cowboys do grab that early lead, turnovers could finish the job. A couple of interceptions would go a long way toward shutting the door.
So yes, the forecast here leans orange. Oklahoma State has not lost at home yet, and I don’t think that changes Saturday. Colorado has shown some fight, but the Buffaloes have also lost two Big 12 games by that combined 13-point margin, and that keeps them in the “close but not quite” category.
If the Cowboys start fast and the defense cashes in on chances, they should get to 5-2 and keep themselves in the Big 12 title race before heading into a two-week road stretch at Iowa State and Kansas State.
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Oklahoma State's QB Problem Is Getting Harder To Ignore
Spencer Mestemakers first season at Oklahoma State has been defined less by production than by the recurring issue that can tilt a game in an instant: turnovers. Through six games, the Cowboys quarterback has been asked to clean up his ball security, a point coach Mike Gundy has emphasized repeatedly, and the problem has only grown more noticeable as the season has gone on.
Mestemakers interception total has climbed from what he managed at North Texas, and Oklahoma State is feeling the ripple effects of every risky throw. For a team trying to find stability on offense, the quarterbacks ability to cut down mistakes is not just a detail, it is central to whether the Cowboys can get where they want to go. [Read more 🡒]
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Drew Mestemaker remains the center of the Cowboys hopes on offense, and his production has helped give Oklahoma State a real passing threat as it tries to get back on track. Colorado arrives in Stillwater having dropped four straight after a strong start, so both teams are searching for a reset, with Oklahoma State also carrying the memory of how lopsided the last meeting in the series was. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Brings Mounting Pressure Into Oklahoma State Showdown
Colorado comes into this weekend carrying a four-game skid after opening 2-0, and the pressure around the program has only sharpened as it heads to Stillwater for a homecoming matchup with Oklahoma State. Deion Sanders remains the central figure in every conversation about the Buffaloes, not just because of his profile, but because the teams offensive issues have kept the spotlight fixed on how he and his staff can steady things against quality opponents.
The Buffaloes have stayed with Kaidon Salter at quarterback despite the recent rough stretch, a sign that the staff is trying to ride through the turbulence rather than reset it. But with Oklahoma State first on the schedule and tougher tests still ahead against Houston and Cincinnati, every week now feels tied to the larger question of whether Colorado can start turning close attention into actual results. [Read more 🡒]