Oklahoma State gets Colorado at home Saturday evening with a clear shot to steady itself after last week’s trip to Houston. The Cowboys did cover the +3.5, but the 35-32 loss snapped their four-game winning streak. Colorado, meanwhile, is trying to stop the slide after opening 2-0 and then losing its last four.
This one also comes with a little unfinished business. The last time these teams met in 2024, Colorado rolled to a 52-0 shutout win.
For Oklahoma State, the biggest reason for optimism is Drew Mestemaker. The sophomore has turned into a name to watch on NFL Draft boards, and he’s kept climbing after two seasons at North Texas and now his time at Oklahoma State.
He threw for 4,379 yards last season and already has 1,940 yards this year, which ranks fourth in the nation. His 16 passing touchdowns are tied for 10th-most nationally.
Mestemaker looked sharp in the loss at Houston, finishing 22 of 34 for 365 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. That was a strong bounce-back performance after he threw four interceptions in the first two weeks. Now he gets a chance to attack a Colorado defense that has struggled since the season’s opening stretch.
Colorado’s early momentum has vanished quickly. After that upset win at Georgia Tech, the Buffaloes were beaten 41-7 at Northwestern and 23-13 at Baylor in their other two road games.
Oklahoma State, by contrast, has already shown it can handle a wide range of game scripts. The Cowboys upset Oregon at home as +23.5 underdogs, covered a huge -56.5 spread against Murray State, and beat Central Florida by 14 as -10.5 favorites a few weeks ago.
As long as this spread is lower than -14, I’m riding with the Cowboys.
In Other News...
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 🡒]
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 🡒]
Oklahoma State Faces A Pressure Spot Against Struggling Colorado
A homecoming matchup can be a pressure point all its own, and that is where Oklahoma State finds itself after a loss to Houston. The Cowboys return home at 4-2, with a chance to keep momentum in a season that has already put them in position to top what they managed over the past two years combined. Colorado is coming in on a four-game skid, which gives this Big 12 meeting a little more urgency than the usual pageantry around the weekend.
For Oklahoma State, the timing matters just as much as the opponent. The Cowboys are trying to steady themselves after the Houston defeat and avoid letting a promising start get bogged down by conference inconsistency, while Colorado is desperate to stop the slide and find something that can travel in league play. Both teams have something to prove in the Big 12, and the setting makes the stakes feel even more immediate. [Read more 🡒]