The Big 12 still has Oklahoma State’s homecoming matchup with Colorado in the holding pattern.
On Monday, the conference released only one kickoff time and TV designation for Week 8 of the 2026 college football season, and the Cowboys’ Oct. 24 date with the Buffaloes at Boone Pickens Stadium was not among them. That means Oklahoma State and Colorado are one of seven games receiving six-day designations, with the game time and television assignment set to be revealed Sunday.
That homecoming game is still ahead, but Oklahoma State has bigger business right in front of it. The No.
18 Cowboys are headed to Houston for a Top 25 showdown against the No. 20 Cougars at 6:30 p.m. on Fox.
Oklahoma State is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Big 12 play, while Houston comes in at 4-2 and 2-1 in the league.
The Cowboys are ranked for the third straight week after moving into the AP Top 25 following their Week 4 win over West Virginia. They held at No. 18 after Saturday’s 42-28 victory over UCF, and on Sunday they also cracked the USA Today Top 25 coaches poll for the first time this season.
Since the season-opening loss to Tulsa, Oklahoma State has rattled off four straight wins. That stretch includes a win over Oregon on the road, a snap of the program’s 18-game Big 12 losing streak and the Cowboys’ first four-game winning streak since 2023.
Houston has carried a ranking of its own since the preseason. The Cougars’ lone defeat came against Texas Tech in the Big 12 opener for both teams, and they’ve answered with three consecutive victories.
The series between Oklahoma State and Houston has been tight for a long time, with the Cougars holding an 11-10-1 edge all-time. Since Houston joined the Big 12 in 2023, the teams have split their meetings. Oklahoma State won in Stillwater in Houston’s debut league season, 43-30, while the Cougars took last year’s game in Stillwater, 39-17.
The last time one team put together a winning streak against the other came all the way back from 1968-70, when Oklahoma State won three straight over Houston.
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Steve Lutz Saw The Same Oklahoma State Problem He Hates
The first exhibition gave Steve Lutz a clear look at what still needs cleaning up before Oklahoma State settles into the season. The Cowboys fell 99-89 to New Mexico, and the issues were as much about how they defended as anything else, with Lutz left frustrated by the teams foul trouble and the way the Lobos kept getting easy chances at the line.
Oklahoma State did have some scoring balance, putting five players in double figures and getting 18 points from freshman Anthony Felesi. But New Mexicos perimeter shooting and scoring punch kept the Cowboys chasing the game, and Lutz was left with the kind of defensive breakdowns he clearly does not want to see carry over into the real thing. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Hawkins Could Help Oklahoma State Land Another Playmaker
Caleb Hawkins has already made himself one of Oklahoma States most important offensive additions this season, giving the Cowboys a homegrown presence after transferring from North Texas. Back near his hometown and high school roots, Hawkins has become the teams leading rusher in both yards and touchdowns, a steady sign that the move has worked out for player and program alike.
Now theres a familiar name drawing interest on the recruiting side. Oklahoma State has shown attention to a versatile uncommitted athlete with ties to Hawkins, and the staffs evaluation has only added another layer to the connection. For a Cowboys offense looking to keep adding playmakers, that family link could make this one worth watching a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma States Early Success Keeps Pointing Back To Two Standouts
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The bigger picture for the Cowboys is just as encouraging. Wesloski and Keltner have each collected three weekly awards this season, the most of any conference player, and Oklahoma State now owns 11 Big 12 weekly honors overall, tops in the league. For a team getting early traction, the constant refrain keeps coming back to the same two names. [Read more 🡒]