Oklahoma State got a clean injury report of its own and a long one from UCF on Friday, setting up a Saturday matchup in Stillwater with the Cowboys in much better shape on paper.
For OSU, the only player still listed as out was defensive tackle Landon Dean. The positive news came elsewhere: wide receiver Wyatt Young and offensive lineman Johnny Dickson III were both upgraded to probable, while offensive lineman Braydon Nelson remained probable as he has all week. One final pregame report will come on Saturday before the 11 a.m. kickoff, when players will be officially available or unavailable.
UCF’s report was far more crowded. The Knights had nine players listed as out, including wide receiver Caleb Rollerson, quarterbacks Alonza Barnett III and Dante Carr, linebacker Lewis Carter, edge rusher Bruno Dall, defensive tackle Trenton Turner, and offensive linemen Jacob Maiava, Owen Spell and Tyler Gibson.
The quarterback situation is the headline there. Oklahoma State was already expecting Barnett to be unavailable after he hurt his hamstring in Week 2 against Pitt.
His replacement, Keyone Jenkins, was listed as probable and should start. Jenkins has handled the job well, but with Barnett and Carr both out, UCF would be stretched thin if anything happened to him.
That kind of shortage could open the door for the Cowboys’ defense to attack a less efficient Knights offense.
The offensive line losses matter just as much. Maiava has started at center but is now listed as the backup behind Connor Meadows.
Gibson is the backup right tackle behind Preston Cushman. UCF should still have its starters in place, but the Knights’ depth takes a hit at two important spots.
That could create opportunities for Oklahoma State’s front four, especially ends James Williams and Jaleel Johnson.
There’s also a potential opening at linebacker. Carter is listed as a starter and has 12 tackles with a half-tackle for loss this season.
In his place, Jahleel Culbreath is likely to step in. Culbreath has been active this year too, with 12 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Taken together, the reports leave UCF with depth questions at quarterback, offensive line and linebacker, while Oklahoma State enters the game with a much shorter list of concerns. That could give the Cowboys chances to press the Knights on both sides of the ball, including a possible run emphasis to the left side with Carter sidelined.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Has A Chad Weiberg Problem It Still Wont Address
Oklahoma States recent run of good energy around its athletic programs has been interrupted by something far more awkward in Stillwater: uncertainty at the top of the department. Athletic director Chad Weiberg has become the subject of reports suggesting his future could be in jeopardy, with talk circulating around whether he could be fired or shifted into a different role. For a school trying to build on momentum, the silence around the situation has become almost as notable as the speculation itself.
What makes the matter linger is how little clarity has followed the initial reporting. Weiberg has not received any public statement of confidence or no-confidence from the university administration, leaving the question hanging in the open while the rumors continue to swirl. Until Oklahoma State decides to address it directly, the athletic department is left operating under a cloud that could eventually prove more disruptive than any on-field setback. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Is Starting To Look Different When Games Get Tight
Close games have started to look a little different around Boone Pickens Stadium, and Oklahoma State gave another example in its 42-28 win over UCF. The Cowboys and Knights traded momentum in a game full of lead changes, turnovers and missed field goals, the kind of messier fourth-quarter football that has often gone against Oklahoma State in recent seasons.
Drew Mestemaker was central to why this one tilted the Cowboys way, while UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins kept the Knights in it with four touchdown passes. For UCF, the loss stretched a road skid that has become a real burden away from home, while for Oklahoma State it offered another sign that when the game tightens, the finish is beginning to look more dependable. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Survived UCF With A Warning Sign Fans Can't Ignore
Oklahoma State kept rolling with a 42-28 win over UCF, stretching its winning streak to four games and leaning on a defense that made several timely plays. The Cowboys got key stops when they needed them, and the unit helped turn a competitive matchup into a comfortable result as the offense did enough to keep control of the game.
UCF arrived shorthanded and tried to slow things down with a ball-control approach, which made the night feel tighter than the final score might suggest. The Cowboys still found a way to separate, helped by a defensive touchdown from safety Evan Jackson that swung the momentum firmly their way and gave the team a cushion it would not give back. [Read more 🡒]