The No. 18 Cowboys head to Houston riding momentum, and Saturday’s Top 25 matchup with the No. 20 Cougars comes with plenty on the line for a team that’s already handled business in Big 12 play.
Oklahoma State is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the league, while Houston enters at 5-1 and 2-1. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
Saturday in Houston, where the Cougars are hoping for a sellout. If Oklahoma State fans travel, they should help with that.
And after the UCF win, a handful of Cowboys clearly improved their standing with the staff.
Luke Webb made a small number of snaps go a long way. He was on the field for just 14 plays against UCF, but he found ways to leave a mark, especially on fourth down.
One stop came up empty in terms of a change of possession, but the second came in the fourth quarter as UCF tried to claw back into the game. Webb read a run disguised to look like a pass, trusted his instincts, and got it right.
With Landon Dean unavailable, Webb saw more action, and a performance like that should only help his case for more reps.
The secondary also got a lift from Ethan Jackson, who started the season as a starter before losing the job a couple of games ago to Mose Phillips III. When Phillips exited in the second quarter with a shoulder issue, Jackson stepped back into a full-time role and made the most of it.
His scoop-and-score touchdown helped push Oklahoma State to a 14-point lead, but the bigger story was his steady play over the full game. He didn’t record a tackle, yet he held up in coverage and brought stability to the back end.
If Phillips can’t go this week, Jackson could be back in the starting lineup against Houston.
Another defender who kept adding to his value was Jaden Bodnar. He had already made a big impact against West Virginia by tackling quarterback Michael Hawkins near the goal line on a play that helped shut down a possible Mountaineers comeback.
Against UCF, he was involved in the play that led to Jackson’s touchdown return. His ability to cover and stop the run has given Oklahoma State a real edge on the perimeter.
Bodnar’s background at both corner and safety has also helped the Cowboys at nickel, which has allowed Quinton Hammonds to shift to boundary safety, a spot that suits him well.
On the offensive line, Desmond Magiya continued to show why he has become such an important depth piece. Johnny Dickson III was a game-time decision, and Oklahoma State chose to sit its usual starter and go with Magiya.
He’s worked at three different spots this season and has been steady wherever the Cowboys have plugged him in. He filled in at left tackle after Jacob Sexton was hurt against Tulsa, backed up Shaun Torgeson at left tackle, Dickson at left guard and Joseph Hansen at right guard, and when Hansen left the Oregon game, Magiya slid to right guard while Dickson moved to left guard.
Morris’s transfer from North Texas has turned into one of the most valuable additions on the roster.
Not everyone left the UCF game in a better spot.
Jaden Barnes is still trying to find his footing after the shoulder injury he suffered against Oregon. He has only three catches over his last two games, and while one of his grabs against West Virginia was important, he didn’t start against UCF.
Terrence Lewis took his place in the lineup. It could just be Oklahoma State being careful with his contact load, but Barnes still hasn’t matched the production he showed against Tulsa, when he caught five passes for 36 yards.
There’s also the question of where C.J. Nelson fits next.
Outsiders expected him to play more than five snaps Saturday, so this may be less about a fall than a gradual return after offseason knee surgery. Still, with Shaun Torgeson steady at left tackle and Magiya holding down left guard, Oklahoma State doesn’t need to hurry him back into a larger role.
Based on the lone possession he did see, it’s unclear how much more work he’ll get against Houston.
And in the defensive backfield, Kobie Horn saw his role shrink. He has been listed as an “OR” on the depth chart this season, but this weekend Kollin Lewis got the start instead.
Lewis played more than twice as many snaps as Horn and graded much better at Pro Football Focus, which likely explains the switch. Horn had been one of Oklahoma State’s better perimeter tacklers against Murray State, but his workload has changed since then.
He’s still playing, just nowhere near as much as he did in the opening three games.
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