Oklahoma State is carrying a three-game winning streak into Saturday’s 11 a.m. Central kickoff against UCF, and the Cowboys’ offense got a clearer picture Thursday on two players who could matter up front and out wide.
Head coach Eric Morris said wide receiver Wyatt Young is expected to be available and ready to roll against the Knights at Boone Pickens Stadium. Morris put it plainly: “He should be full force” for Saturday’s game. Young has practiced all week.
The outlook for offensive lineman Johnny Dickson III is a little murkier. Dickson showed up on the player availability report and, according to Morris, is practicing but not fully. The left guard started the week questionable after being listed as probable throughout the week before the West Virginia game, when he played.
If Dickson can’t go or isn’t at full strength, Oklahoma State has some flexibility. Desmond Magiya is next up on the depth chart and has already seen work at both guard and tackle during the first three games of the season. He could step in as a starter or provide relief.
Morris also pointed to the possible return of left tackle Braydon Nelson as another boost. Nelson is listed at both left tackle and right tackle on the depth chart, but he has also worked at left guard at North Texas. Morris, who coached him there, said he has complete trust in Nelson’s grasp of the offense.
Oklahoma State enters the matchup at 3-1 overall and 1-0 in Big 12 play, having not lost since the season opener against Tulsa. UCF comes in at 3-2 and 1-1 after a 27-17 loss to Houston last Saturday. The Knights are making their first trip to Stillwater in school history, though they have beaten Oklahoma State twice since joining the conference, both times in Orlando.
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UCF Heads Into A Trickier Oklahoma State Test Than Fans Realize
Oklahoma States quick rise under new coach Eric Morris has changed the feel around Stillwater in a hurry. After a 1-11 season a year ago, the Cowboys are 3-1 and ranked No. 18, with Morris putting his stamp on the program through an offense-first approach and a defense that has leaned on solid, fundamental tackling.
Even with the fast start, there are still some rough edges Morris has been trying to smooth out in practice. Turnovers and third-down production remain part of the conversation, which is why this team feels a little trickier than its record might suggest, especially for an opponent like UCF that is walking into a much more confident Oklahoma State than the one fans saw last fall. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Faces One Big Offensive Question Against UCF
Oklahoma State gets its first home Big 12 game of the season Saturday when UCF comes to Boone Pickens Stadium for an 11 a.m. kickoff, and the Cowboys are riding a three-game winning streak into a matchup that should tell plenty about where they stand early in league play. The 3-1 start has kept things steady in Stillwater, and with UCF making its first trip to town, the opening act on the home conference schedule comes with a little extra weight.
One of the bigger offensive questions centers on wide receiver Wyatt Young, who is listed as questionable but is expected by coach Eric Morris to be available. Young gave Oklahoma State a major lift against West Virginia, and his presence would matter for a passing game that could use as many reliable targets as it can get with both teams carrying multiple names on the injury report. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Suddenly Has A Pressure Test Fans Cant Ignore
Week 6 in the Big 12 arrives with a little bit of everything, but Oklahoma States spot on the slate carries its own kind of pressure. The Cowboys have steadied themselves just enough to matter again, and the timing is notable with the program back in the AP Top 25 for the first time in two years after stringing together three straight wins. For a team trying to show the recent turnaround is real, this is the kind of week where the outside noise can start to creep in.
UCF is the sort of opponent that can make a team pay if it starts believing the good feeling is the hard part. Oklahoma State does not need a reminder that momentum in conference play can disappear quickly, especially in a league week built on survival and follow-through. The challenge now is less about proving the Cowboys can win again and more about proving they can handle the expectation that comes with finally being back in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]