Oklahoma State is back from its bye and straight into a Big 12 test against UCF, with the Cowboys trying to keep a strong early run rolling at Boone Pickens Stadium.
The matchup comes with a little uncertainty on the Knights’ side. UCF dropped a 27-17 decision to Houston on Saturday, and quarterback Keyone Jenkins left briefly after dealing with cramps. That forced the Knights to turn to their third quarterback, with Alonza Barnett III already sidelined.
For Oklahoma State, the week off came at a good time. The coaching staff spent the bye on the recruiting trail, but the Cowboys now shift back to game prep after a stretch that has them in a better place than they’ve been in a while.
They are riding their first three-game winning streak since the start of the 2024 season, and their Sept. 26 win over West Virginia snapped an 18-game Big 12 losing streak. They’re also back in the AP Top 25 for the first time since Week 4 of the 2024 season.
Here’s the full setup for Week 6:
Current Records: UCF (3-2, 1-1 in Big 12) vs. Oklahoma State (3-1, 1-0 Big 12).
TV/Streaming: ESPN2. Streaming on ESPN where available.
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb and Deion Imade)
UCF enters 0-2 on the road this season after the loss at Houston, and this trip to Stillwater doesn’t come with much comfort. The Knights have never played at Boone Pickens Stadium, while Oklahoma State has beaten UCF twice before, both times in Orlando, including last year’s 17-14 loss late in the season.
Barnett remains out, leaving UCF without its starting quarterback, but Jenkins has handled the offense well in his place. The Knights also bring a solid running game and one of the better defensive fronts Oklahoma State will see in 2026.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Legend Just Weighed In On Chad Weibergs Uncertain Future
Oklahoma States athletic department has found itself at the center of some uneasy chatter lately, with Chad Weibergs future drawing plenty of attention from Cowboys fans and former supporters alike. Weiberg, an OSU alumnus who has worked in a variety of college athletics administrative roles, has been the schools athletic director since 2021, and the discussion around his standing has only added to the sense of uncertainty around the programs leadership.
Among the voices stepping forward is Thurman Thomas, the Hall of Fame Cowboy who has remained one of the schools most recognizable ambassadors. His support carries weight in Stillwater, especially with the board of regents expected to factor into whatever comes next for Weiberg, leaving OSU in a position where the conversation feels as important as the decision itself. [Read more 🡒]
Drew Mestemakers Rise Is Suddenly A Huge Oklahoma State Question
Drew Mestemakers rise has quickly turned into one of the more interesting offseason storylines around Oklahoma State, and it has everything to do with how much projection is now attached to a player with limited power conference experience. ESPN already has Mestemaker sitting atop its list of 2027 NFL Draft quarterback prospects, a striking sign of how evaluators view his talent and upside. For the Cowboys, it is another reminder that the most important player on the roster may also be the one most difficult to keep in Stillwater.
Head coach Eric Morris has made it clear he sees a future pro in Mestemaker and expects that day to come eventually, which only adds urgency to the programs long-range planning. The real question for Oklahoma State is timing, since Mestemaker could be weighing whether to make the jump in 2027 or stay put and push things back a year, and the staff is already working the recruiting trail and developing other quarterbacks with both outcomes in mind. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma States Bye Week Put One Ranking Question Front And Center
A week off can sharpen a teams edge, but it also can sharpen the questions around it, and Oklahoma State has one sitting right there after its 41-24 win over West Virginia. The Cowboys are still carrying the look of a team that can score with just about anybody, sitting second nationally in total offense, and the defense added enough encouraging moments last time out with an interception, four sacks and eight tackles for loss.
The bigger issue is how those ingredients are being viewed beyond Stillwater, where the AP Top 25 has the Cowboys at No. 19 after the win. The coaches saw them a little differently, though, and the gap between those rankings says plenty about where Oklahoma State stands heading into the bye, with the team still trying to turn strong production into something that holds up in every poll and every week. [Read more 🡒]