STILLWATER - Oklahoma State’s offense has been putting up big numbers all season, but there’s still a little unfinished business.
The Cowboys have topped 30 points in five straight games, their longest such run since an eight-game stretch across the 2021-22 seasons. Even with that kind of production, the numbers point to more to clean up: red zone wastefulness and sluggish first-half starts have kept the attack from reaching its full ceiling.
That sets the stage for Saturday night’s Big 12 matchup with Colorado. OSU (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big 12) welcomes the Buffaloes (2-4, 0-3) to Stillwater at 6 p.m. on FS1, with the Cowboys listed as 13.5-point favorites.
The matchup gives Oklahoma State a chance to keep rolling against a Colorado defense that has struggled to hold teams down. The Buffaloes are No. 13 in the Big 12 in scoring defense, giving up 25.7 points per game.
Here’s how our staff sees it playing out:
Jenni Carlson, columnist: OSU 31, Colorado 20
PRIME CUT
Cowboys take down Buffs, Coach Prime in his first game ever in Stillwater. OSU finally shakes its slow-start problem and leads wire to wire.
Ben Hutchens, OSU beat writer: OSU 45, Colorado 23
BUFFALO BLAZIN'
OSU's secondary looks more improved against Colorado quarterback Isaac Wilson than it did last week against Houston's Conner Weigman. The Cowboy offense comes out blazing and scores 27 in the first half, coasting to a homecoming win.
Joe Mussatto, columnist: OSU 35, Colorado 17
REBUFFED
This is a perfect spot for the Cowboys to bounce back from their loss at Houston. Colorado doesn't have the firepower to keep up with this OSU offense.
Jeff Patterson, sports editor: OSU 37, Colorado 21
HOMECOMING KINGS
Drew Mestemaker and the Cowboys bounce back from the close loss at Houston to roll past Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes on homecoming weekend in Stillwater.
Jacob Unruh, deputy sports editor: OSU 34, Colorado 20
ORANGE RUSH
It's homecoming, which means an extra display of orange on a day the Cowboys' offense clicks on all cylinders. Deion Sanders has little answer to slow down Drew Mestemaker and Co.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Gets A Big 12 Chance It Cant Waste Against Colorado
Oklahoma State is heading into a midseason Big 12 matchup that carries a little extra weight, with Colorado coming to Boone Pickens Stadium in Week 8 of the 2026 college football season. The Cowboys will get the chance in Stillwater on Saturday, Oct. 24, in a game that gives them another shot to make a statement in conference play, with the national audience able to follow along on FS1 and via Fubo.
The timing matters, because both teams arrive with their own recent results and the league picture already taking shape entering Week 8. For Oklahoma State, this is the kind of home opportunity that can nudge a season in the right direction or leave a lingering what-if, and the stakes only get sharper when a conference opponent like Colorado walks into town. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Cracks Down After Disturbing Student Section Incident
Oklahoma State is moving the Cowboy Marching Band out of its usual spot in Boone Pickens Stadium for the upcoming homecoming game, a response to a troubling scene in the student section that left two band members injured by thrown cans and water bottles. The university is also stepping up security and camera monitoring as it looks to prevent a repeat of the kind of behavior that crossed well beyond the edge of game-day passion.
The band will be relocated to Section 223 when the Cowboys face Colorado, a change that underscores how seriously the school is treating the incident. It comes after the university took action against several students connected to what happened, while trying to make sure the stadium remains a place where the crowd can be loud without becoming dangerous. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados Bowl Hopes Ride On One Huge Test At Oklahoma State
Colorado enters Week 8 sitting at 2-4, and the trip to Stillwater has the feel of a pivot point for a season that needs something to grab onto. Isaac Wilson will make his third straight start at quarterback, trying to steady an offense that has shown flashes but also too often given possessions away, with 699 passing yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions since taking over.
The challenge is obvious against an Oklahoma State team built around a dangerous aerial attack and a quarterback Colorado has to keep from dictating the game. The Buffaloes know the pressure has to come from their defense, but they also may have a real opening if they can lean on a run game against a Cowboys front that has been vulnerable there, giving them at least a chance to keep it close if they can control the tempo. [Read more 🡒]