1,036 days is a brutal number for Oklahoma State fans to stare at.
That’s how long it has been since the Cowboys last won a Big 12 Conference game, dating back to Nov. 25, 2023, when they beat BYU in double overtime, 40-34. That drought has a chance to end Saturday, when Oklahoma State heads to Morgantown to face West Virginia.
And this one has a very different feel than the recent past. The Cowboys are working with a new head coach in Eric Morris, a new staff, more than 90 new players and, at least for the moment, a new kind of momentum. They also have a winning streak for the first time since opening 2024 with three straight victories.
The matchup itself still looks like a toss-up. That was the feeling before the season, and it hasn’t changed much after three weeks.
Oklahoma State entered the year expected to be 2-1 at this point, and the Cowboys are right there. West Virginia may have been a little harder to peg, but the Mountaineers are 3-0 and have already picked up a Top 25 win of their own.
Morgantown, though, is its own problem. Night games there are never simple, and the crowd can make life miserable for visitors.
With so many newcomers in Oklahoma State’s locker room, that atmosphere matters. Morgantown is not Tulsa.
West Virginia’s start has been fueled by quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. and running back Cam Cook, a pairing that has fit Rich Rodriguez’s spread option system better and faster than expected. Hawkins has produced better numbers than many would have guessed, and Cook has helped power the Mountaineers’ unbeaten run.
Oklahoma State has had its own pleasant surprise on defense. The Cowboys were expected to be better than they were a year ago, but they’ve been more than that so far.
They’ve tackled well, held the edge, chased plays down and made steady plays on the football. The defense looks ahead of schedule.
That matters because the Cowboys offense appears to have settled in after the Week 1 issues against Tulsa. Protection around quarterback Drew Mestemaker should get a boost with Joseph Hanson back at right guard.
Still, this feels like a game where the West Virginia offense can move the ball. Hawkins and Cook might combine for 200 rushing yards, and Oklahoma State may need to live in that “bend and not break” space it has handled well through three games.
The confidence level here is not sky-high. It’s not a lock.
But it is enough to lean toward Oklahoma State finally ending the Big 12 skid. The Cowboys have a real shot to leave Morgantown with a win and head into the bye week with something they haven’t had in a long time: a conference victory.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Heads To West Virginia With A Frontcourt Concern
Oklahoma States trip to West Virginia comes with a little more uncertainty than the Cowboys would like, thanks to the final player availability report released ahead of the Big 12 matchup. Nelson is out with a knee injury, leaving a clear hole in the frontcourt picture, while Chris Barnes, Bradyon Rigsby and Oscar Hammond are all expected to suit up.
The more encouraging part for Oklahoma State is that Hanson and Oates remain in the questionable column but are trending in the right direction. Both have been moving toward playing, which gives the Cowboys at least some hope of getting closer to full strength before a game that already carries plenty of weight in league play. [Read more 🡒]
Former Oklahoma State Star Is Chasing Rare Mets Rookie History
Carson Benges first full season in New York has quickly turned into the kind of debut that gets noticed well beyond Queens, and Oklahoma State fans have a reason to keep an eye on the rookie. The former Cowboys standout just reached his 20th home run of the season, adding another milestone to a year already packed with production at the plate and in the field, including a Mets rookie record for hits and a place in a very small group of MLB rookies to pile up 160 hits, 20 homers and 20 stolen bases.
Benge had already put himself in rare company by becoming the first Mets rookie since 1983 to post a 15-15 season, and the combination of power, speed and durability has kept his name in the conversation all year. His all-around value has only grown because of the way he has handled center field, where New York has leaned on him for more than just bat-to-ball skills, and the next milestone hanging out there gives this rookie run a little extra intrigue as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Faces An Early Big 12 Test Fans Will Watch Closely
Big 12 play arrived quickly for Oklahoma State, and the opener sent the Cowboys straight into a tricky road setting in Morgantown. The matchup with West Virginia carried the feel of an early measuring stick, with kickoff, broadcast details and first-quarter updates all drawing attention as the game unfolded. Oklahoma State came in with some recent momentum and a defense that had started to earn trust, so this was the kind of conference test that could say plenty about where the season might be headed.
The challenge was even sharper because the Cowboys were already dealing with a key absence up front, which only raised the degree of difficulty against a Mountaineers team getting useful early production on the ground. West Virginia also had quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. helping guide the offense, and the first quarter suggested there would be no shortage of pressure on Oklahoma State to hold firm while finding its own rhythm. [Read more 🡒]