Oklahoma State has two big reasons to want a standout night from Drew Mestemaker against Colorado on Saturday.
The first is obvious enough: the Cowboys can grab their fifth win of the 2026 season, a meaningful step after winning just four games combined over the previous two years. The second is more about the future than the present, because this weekend doubles as a recruiting showcase for Oklahoma State’s quarterback room.
The Cowboys are set to bring a group of signal-callers to campus, including their Class of 2027 commit Carson White. Rivals reported that Oklahoma State is also expected to host Edmond North’s Chauncey Cravens III, a Class of 2027 target, along with several Class of 2028 quarterbacks from Texas: Turner Wilkie of Melissa, Donovan Warren of Bellaire, Hayes Hackney of Argyle and Reshard Hicks Jr. of Killeen.
Hackney has a direct connection to the Cowboys, too. He’s the quarterback for one of Oklahoma State’s Class of 2027 commits, wide receiver Ake O’Neal.
Cushing quarterback Gabe Gurley, a Class of 2029 prospect, is also expected on campus.
There’s a reason these quarterbacks are interested in Stillwater. Eric Morris’s Air Raid has plenty of appeal on paper, but it lands differently when a recruit gets to see it operating in real time. That’s where Mestemaker comes in.
The redshirt sophomore didn’t take a single varsity snap at quarterback before this run, yet some analysts now view him as the No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2027. He can go to the NFL after this season if he chooses, and the production is starting to match the buzz.
Through six games, he has thrown for 1,940 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. He’s also put together five straight 300-yard passing games and is making a case to be the Big 12’s offensive newcomer of the year.
That kind of stretch is part of what makes the quarterback pipeline around Morris so compelling. Recruits know the track record - Patrick Mahomes, Cam Ward - and Mestemaker is the latest example of what that system can produce.
So while Saturday matters in the standings, it also matters in the recruiting picture. A strong performance from Mestemaker would give Oklahoma State another win on the field and keep a room full of quarterbacks leaning in on the future.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Cracks Down After Disturbing Student Section Incident
Oklahoma State is making a visible change in Boone Pickens Stadium after a troubling incident in the student section left two Cowboy Marching Band members injured by objects thrown from the stands. The university is tightening security and increasing camera monitoring as it looks to prevent a repeat, a reminder that what happens in the student section can spill well beyond the crowd noise and onto the field.
The band will be moved to a different spot in the stadium for the upcoming homecoming game, part of a response aimed at protecting players, performers and fans alike. For Oklahoma State, the immediate concern now is restoring some sense of control around the atmosphere on game day while making clear that the behavior crossing the line in the previous game will not be brushed aside. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma States Next Running Back Battle May Start This Weekend
A key recruiting visit is set to land in Stillwater when Chrystian Ervin makes his official trip to Oklahoma State for the Colorado game weekend. The 2026 running back from Silas High School in Tacoma, Washington, has started to draw attention beyond the region, with Kansas State already on the board and other programs, including Alabama, looking into him as the Cowboys continue thinking ahead at a position that always needs replenishment.
For Oklahoma State, the timing matters because the staff is also weighing longer-term roster needs behind its current backfield picture. Caleb Hawkins could be on an NFL Draft path after the 2027 season, which makes every evaluation of the next wave of backs more important, and Ervins visit gives the Cowboys a chance to see where they stand in a competitive chase that is just beginning to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados Bowl Hopes Ride On One Huge Test At Oklahoma State
Colorado comes into Week 8 at 2-4, and the margin for error is gone as Isaac Wilson prepares to make his third straight start at quarterback. Wilson has given the Buffaloes some passing production since taking over, with 699 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions, but the bigger challenge now is whether Colorado can keep pace with an Oklahoma State team that can force opponents into uncomfortable shootouts.
The key matchup starts with the Cowboys passing game and the player Colorado needs to disrupt most. Drew Mestemaker is widely viewed as a strong NFL Draft prospect, and he has powered one of the Big 12s best aerial attacks, which means Colorados defensive plan will revolve around getting pressure and trying to create some disruption up front. If the Buffaloes are going to hang around, they also may need to lean on a run game against an Oklahoma State defense that has been vulnerable there, giving Colorado at least one path to stay competitive. [Read more 🡒]