Oklahoma State got exactly the kind of Saturday night it needed at Boone Pickens Stadium.
The Cowboys rolled past Murray State, 59-0, and the game was effectively over before halftime. Oklahoma State scored on its first five possessions, built a 31-0 lead by the break, and never let the Racers breathe. It was the sort of runaway that gave Eric Morris a chance to protect players with nagging injuries and get younger guys on the field before Big 12 play begins next week against West Virginia.
The start set the tone. Oklahoma State’s defense came out flying, and cornerback Mo Horn delivered one of the early blows with a hard hit that helped establish the physical edge.
Horn finished the first half with three tackles for loss, while the offense kept stacking points. Drew Mestemaker threw four touchdown passes in the opening half, and wide receiver Justin Bowick was the big beneficiary, piling up eight catches for 166 yards and two scores.
By halftime, the numbers told the whole story: 388 total yards for Oklahoma State, 94 for Murray State. The Cowboys also handed the ball away on their final possession of the half, but it barely dented what had already become a blowout.
One area Morris had wanted more from through the first two weeks was the return game, and Miles Coleman finally gave Oklahoma State a spark there. Chris Barnes did not play because of an injury, but Coleman made the most of his chances as a punt returner. He broke off returns of 17, 10, and 55 yards in the first half alone, with the first one setting up Oklahoma State’s opening touchdown and another helping position the Cowboys for a field goal.
Coleman finished with five punt returns for 115 yards, an average of 23 yards per return. He also added three catches for 53 yards and a touchdown. That kind of production gives Oklahoma State a real weapon in a phase of the game that had been quiet to start the season.
The other major development came at quarterback. Broderick Vehrs, the true freshman from Gilbert, Ariz., had been listed alongside Grant Jordan in the “OR” spot behind Mestemaker, but the Cowboys had not had a chance to work either reserve into a game before Saturday. Once Vehrs entered, Mestemaker was already up to five touchdown passes and 324 yards on 20-of-22 passing, so the moment was there to get the freshman real reps.
Vehrs responded with a touchdown drive on his first possession, capping it with his first collegiate touchdown pass to tight end Carson Kolb. He ended the night 6-for-6 for 37 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.
It’s hard to imagine Vehrs being asked to do much in the coming weeks, and that’s the point. Oklahoma State used a lopsided win the right way: protect the roster, build depth, and leave with confidence heading into conference play.
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A familiar logo is coming back onto Oklahoma State helmets this week, and it is doing more than just stirring up nostalgia. For the matchup against Murray State, the Cowboys will break out a throwback look tied to the programs past, a small visual change that lands at the right moment with the last non-conference game before Big 12 play begins.
The move is also meant to nod to a proud era in school history, the kind of detail longtime fans tend to appreciate a little more than the casual observer. With conference play looming, the timing gives the uniform update a little extra weight, turning what could have been a simple retro touch into a reminder of where the program has been as it gets ready for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
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Oklahoma State Fans Just Got Another Reason To Enjoy Oregons Week
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What happened after the margin got out of hand drew as much attention as the score itself, with head coach Dan Lanning taking heat on social media for the way the Ducks handled the closing stages. For Oklahoma State fans, it offered one more reason to keep an eye on Oregons week, since the conversation around that performance was no longer just about domination on the field. [Read more 🡒]