Oklahoma State had spent nearly a year searching for a result like this, and Saturday finally delivered it in the loudest way possible. The Cowboys knocked off 24.5-point favorite Oregon, 39-31, to end a 21-game FBS losing streak and send Stillwater into a shock that few saw coming.
The setup made the upset look even more unlikely. Oklahoma State was coming off a Week 1 loss to Tulsa that spoiled Eric Morris’ debut, and the assignment hardly got easier with No.
6 Oregon arriving a year after beating the Cowboys 69-3. But the script flipped fast, and Drew Mestemaker was the reason.
After last week’s rough outing, Mestemaker answered with the kind of performance that changes how people talk about a player. He threw for 317 yards and ran for more than 100 yards, then capped it with a fourth-quarter touchdown run that featured a leap into the end zone - the kind of moment that tends to stick in a program’s memory.
The win also snapped Oklahoma State’s long wait for another FBS victory. Its previous one came on Sept. 14, 2024, against Tulsa. Now the Cowboys have done something no team had managed since 1978: end a 20-plus-game losing streak against FBS opponents by beating a ranked team.
Oregon walked into Stillwater with plenty of pressure after barely getting past Boise State at home in Week 1, and this loss only deepened the questions around Dan Lanning’s team after it had been picked as a betting favorite to win the national title. The Ducks still piled up yardage - 554 to Oklahoma State’s 281 - and held the ball for nearly 37 minutes, but the numbers never translated into the kind of control they needed.
Dante Moore drew plenty of NFL attention before kickoff, but Mestemaker may have left the stronger impression. Moore finished 14 of 29 for 191 yards in the defeat, while the Cowboys delivered the kind of breakthrough that felt almost impossible given where they started the day.
For Lanning, it was a loss unlike the ones Oregon had taken before. The Ducks’ previous five defeats had all come against teams that later played in the national championship that season, and this one also snapped several streaks the program and coach had built in recent years.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Just Delivered The Win Cowboys Fans Desperately Needed
A 90-minute lightning delay did little to cool off Oklahoma State, which walked into a tricky early-season matchup and came away with a 39-31 upset of No. 6 Oregon. It was the Cowboys first win of the season and their first victory over the Ducks in three tries, a result built on a relentlessly productive night that saw them pile up 554 total yards while holding Oregon to 281.
Drew Mestemaker was at the center of it all, throwing for 317 yards and two touchdowns while adding 109 yards on the ground. He also delivered the run that put Oklahoma State in front for good, a timely answer in a game the Cowboys needed badly as they tried to steady themselves after a rough start. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma States Oregon Lineup Decisions Revealed A Real Roster Shakeup
Oklahoma States trip from a loss to Tulsa to a win over No. 6 Oregon came with more than a few lineup tweaks, and the changes offered a clear look at how the staff reshuffled things heading into a major nonconference test. The biggest adjustment came up front, where Shaun Torgeson moved in at left tackle after Jacob Sexton went down, while other spots also got a fresh look as the Cowboys tried to settle the right five and the right matchups.
The shakeup did not stop there. Oklahoma State also altered its starting mix at defensive tackle, cornerback and safety, and even opened the game without a tight end on the field, a notable wrinkle for a team trying to find stability after an uneven start. For a roster still sorting out who fits where, the victory over Oregon suggested the changes were more than just cosmetic, even if the full long-term picture remains to be sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Has A CFP Scheduling Problem Fans Will Debate
Oklahoma States win over Oregon was the kind of early-season result that ripples far beyond Stillwater, because it immediately dragged the old debate about ambitious non-conference scheduling back into focus. The Cowboys 39-31 victory gave their students a reason to celebrate in memorable fashion, with a goalpost ending up in Theta Pond, and it also supplied fresh evidence for coaches who believe the payoff of taking on a heavyweight is worth the risk.
Brent Venables, Steve Sarkisian and Dan Lanning all weighed in on the broader College Football Playoff implications, and their comments underscored how thin the line can be between earning respect and absorbing a loss that lingers in the selection conversation. For programs trying to build a playoff rsum, the question is no longer just whether a showcase game helps the brand, but whether the committee will reward the courage of playing it or punish the teams that take the swing and miss. [Read more 🡒]