The AP Top 25 is out, and that gives Oklahoma State a clear picture of what its 2026 schedule will look like against preseason ranked opponents.
The Cowboys were not included in Monday’s final preseason poll, which isn’t much of a surprise after a 1-11 season. Even with the overhaul brought by new head coach Eric Morris, AP voters still didn’t see Oklahoma State as a Top 25 team. They did, however, give the Cowboys eight votes, matching the fact that OSU also picked up at least one vote in the USA Today Top 25 coaches’ preseason poll and the NFF/ FWAA Super 16 poll.
That leaves Oklahoma State with three preseason Top 25 opponents on the 2026 schedule, and the biggest one comes first. Oregon is the marquee non-conference matchup, and it gives the Cowboys a chance to show how much progress they’ve made since Morris took over. It also brings back the memory of last year’s 66-point loss in Eugene, though most of the current roster had nothing to do with that game.
For Oklahoma State, the point of that trip is simple: prove the noise around the program and its standout offensive talent is real. Oregon is expected to be in the College Football Playoff, while the Cowboys are still trying to climb back into the national conversation. A strong showing there would say plenty about where OSU stands now.
The other home heavyweight is Texas Tech, a game that could have Big 12 Championship implications if the Cowboys are where they want to be by then. It also carries a personal edge for Morris, who grew up just outside Lubbock in Shallowater, Texas, and played at Texas Tech under Mike Leach.
He won’t turn it into a personal storyline, though. The bigger picture is a clash between the conference’s most talented team and one of its most talked-about.
Oklahoma State’s lone road game against a preseason Top 25 team in conference play comes at Houston. The Cougars follow back-to-back Big 12 games against West Virginia and UCF, and those matchups look very winnable for the Cowboys. If OSU gets through those two at 2-0 in league play, the trip to Houston becomes a major swing game in the Cowboys’ push to beat expectations.
Houston brings plenty of experience back, especially at the skill positions, and Willie Fritz’s third season has often been the one where his teams take a jump. That combination is why the Cougars could be one of the most dangerous teams on the schedule.
In Other News...
Caleb Hawkins Is Giving Oklahoma State Fans A Reason To Dream Big
Caleb Hawkins is already drawing national attention before his first season at Oklahoma State has even really gotten rolling. The running back, who transferred in from North Texas after the 2025 season, has been named to the 2026 Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list, adding another line to a preseason rsum that also includes a spot on the Maxwell Award watch list and the Walter Camp Preseason All-America team.
For Oklahoma State, it is the sort of recognition that feeds bigger expectations around a player who is supposed to be central to the offense. The Walter Camp award will narrow to semifinalists and finalists later in the year, with the winner set to be announced in December, but Hawkins has already put himself in a conversation that suggests the Cowboys may have more than just a solid transfer on their hands. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Has An Early Big 12 Debate Fans Will Love
Oklahoma State enters the season with a little extra validation in hand after landing at No. 34 in the AP preseason poll, three spots higher than where the coaches placed the Cowboys. For a program trying to stack momentum before Big 12 play starts, even a small difference like that can matter, especially when it feeds the kind of early debate fans are eager to have about where the Cowboys fit in the league picture.
The bigger picture is even more interesting when you look at the schedule. The AP rankings of Big 12 teams and Oklahoma State opponents suggest the Cowboys are set up with a relatively manageable conference slate, since they are ranked behind only three teams on the schedule. That does not make the road easy, but it does leave room for Oklahoma State to make an argument if it handles business against the opponents it is expected to outrank. [Read more 🡒]