The Halloween uniforms might be the first thing people notice at Jack Trice Stadium, but the real focus is on what Oklahoma State can do when the ball kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. on Fox.
This is the kind of game that can keep the Cowboys moving in the right direction. Oklahoma State is 5-2 overall and 3-1 in league play, sitting on the brink of bowl eligibility for the first time since the 2023 season.
Eric Morris has already flipped the script from last year’s 1-11 finish, a season that cost Mike Gundy his job. Now the Cowboys are in the mix as a Big 12 championship contender, and even with one conference loss, they still have a path if they keep stacking wins.
Iowa State comes in at 3-4 and 1-3 under first-year head coach Jimmy Rogers, who replaced another longtime coach in Matt Campbell, now at Penn State. The adjustment has been rougher for Rogers than it has for Morris, but the Cyclones still have talent and are looking to bounce back after getting blown out by Arizona.
One of the clearest developments for Oklahoma State is at left tackle, where the time seems right for Morris to go with Braydon Nelson in the starting lineup. Shawn Torgeson has held the job since Week 2 after Jacob Sexton suffered a season-ending injury, and he’s been solid enough. But Nelson’s snap share jumped against Colorado last Saturday, and that looked like a sign of what’s coming.
It wasn’t just more time on the field. Nelson also performed well.
Per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), he posted a pass blocking grade of 71.1, compared with 55.5 for Torgeson. In this offense, where the pass game is the engine, protection matters.
Nelson looks ready for a full workload.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Torgeson disappears. Oklahoma State runs enough plays that both linemen could still be involved. But Nelson was the projected starter before the season for a reason, and he seems poised to reclaim that role.
Another spot worth watching is the running-back usage on both sides. Hawkins has become more than a runner over the past two weeks, and the way Oklahoma State has been using him suggests he could be in for a big afternoon.
Even while quarterback Drew Messtemaker keeps posting 300-yard passing games, Hawkins has piled up nearly 400 yards in total offense over the last two games. The Cowboys have been getting him the ball as a receiver more often, and he’s answered.
Iowa State has its own multipurpose weapon in Aiden Flora. The Cyclones have used him as a joker all season, and he’s done a little bit of everything - running the ball, catching it, throwing it, returning punts and even scoring a touchdown on special teams.
He hasn’t been targeted as much as Hawkins in the passing game, but Oklahoma State has shown some vulnerability against the screen game. This has the feel of a matchup where both backs can put up real numbers.
The quarterback subplot adds another wrinkle. Oklahoma State could end up facing a familiar name in Zane Flores, a former Cowboys quarterback from a season ago.
On Thursday, Iowa State ruled Connor Moberly out for the game, and that matters because Moberly had been the backup behind Jaylen Raynor. When Raynor was benched against Arizona last weekend, Moberly took over.
Rogers has named Raynor the starter for Saturday, but that doesn’t guarantee he finishes the game. He’ll need a much better outing to stay on the field for all four quarters. With Moberly unavailable, Flores becomes the obvious next option if Iowa State needs another quarterback.
That could be because Oklahoma State builds enough of a lead that Rogers turns to Flores late, the way Colorado did last weekend. Or it could come sooner if Raynor struggles again and Flores gets a shot in the second half. Either way, the possibility is there for the Cowboys to see their old quarterback, and maybe not just in pregame warmups.
Oklahoma State’s offense has been rolling for a while now. Since scoring 10 points against Tulsa in Week 1, the Cowboys have put up at least 32 points in each of their last six games.
The only time they landed exactly on 32 in that stretch was in the loss to Houston. In every win, they scored at least 39.
And while home games usually produce more points, the road numbers in Big 12 play are worth noting too: 41 at West Virginia and 32 at Houston, against a defense considered one of the best in the conference.
That’s enough to believe Oklahoma State can hit its usual range again while the defense does just enough to keep Aiden Flora from taking over.
The Cowboys should move the ball, Caleb Hawkins should find the end zone more than once for the first time this season, and safety Evan Jackson might even snag an interception - a little extra help for cornerback LaDainian Fields after his three picks over the last two games.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Secondary Suddenly Faces A Tough Iowa State Decision
Oklahoma States secondary is still waiting on clarity heading into the Iowa State game, with safety Quinton Hammonds listed as questionable after leaving the Colorado game injured and spending the finish on the sideline in a sling. The Cowboys already know they will be without tight end Carson Kolb, while wide receiver Dayvon Standard and defensive tackle Landon Dean are also sitting in the questionable column, leaving the depth chart a little more unsettled than usual for a Big 12 matchup with plenty riding on it.
The Jayhawks will have their own twist to sort through, too, after Iowa State ruled backup quarterback Conner Moberly out, which could leave former Oklahoma State quarterback Zane Flores next in line behind center. For the Cowboys, though, the bigger immediate concern is how the back end holds up if Hammonds cannot answer the bell, with Bobby Deal Jr., Markeith Williams, Cameron Epps and Evan Jackson all potential candidates to absorb the snaps. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Has A Quiet Plan For Young Talent Behind This Roster
With Oklahoma State leaning heavily on experienced players, Eric Morris has taken a lighter hand with the regulars in practice, trimming back reps and contact to help keep the roster healthy. The Cowboys are trying to strike a balance between staying fresh for the season and making sure the younger players on the roster are not left idle while the veterans handle the bulk of the work.
So the development plan has shifted to Thursday scrimmages, where the freshmen and sophomores get their live-action chances while the rest of the group works through a reduced schedule. For a team built around older players, those sessions matter because they give the newcomers a real runway to grow and give Oklahoma State a better shot at keeping that talent around as it waits its turn. [Read more 🡒]
Big 12 Exit Puts Utahs Next Chapter In New Hands
Brett Yormarks run as Big 12 commissioner has been notable for the kind of aggressive, modernizing moves the conference has wanted at the top. Hired in June 2022, he helped steer major media rights business and was a central figure in the leagues expansion push, making his departure one of the more significant leadership changes the Big 12 has faced in years.
For Oklahoma State and the rest of the league, the timing makes this a particularly important transition to watch. Yormark is expected to move into a role outside of college sports, but he will stay on through at least January 2027, giving the Big 12 some runway before the next chapter begins. The conference has not named a successor, leaving plenty of questions about who will inherit the job and how much of Yormarks approach will carry over. [Read more 🡒]