As Oklahoma State heads into Saturday’s opener in Tulsa, the buzz around the program is hard to miss. Athletic director Chad Weiberg says the Cowboys are walking into this season with a fresh energy, a new head coach, a new quarterback and a massive wave of new faces.
“I don’t know that I’ve been this excited about a season starting in a long time,” Weiberg said.
That feeling, he said, is showing up in the stands too. Oklahoma State already announced sellouts for its first home game against Oregon and for homecoming, a sign, Weiberg said, that fans are buying in again after “a couple of rough years.” He said the support held steady even through those struggles, and now the early response has been even stronger before the team has played a snap.
There should be plenty of orange in Tulsa, too. Weiberg said the Cowboys expect a strong turnout from their fan base, which he said includes the largest alumni base in the city. He also pointed to the upcoming home matchup with Oregon, calling it one of the highest-ranked opponents ever to visit Boone Pickens Stadium in a non-conference game, and said the Cowboys will need the crowd behind them for that one.
Saturday’s game will also give Oklahoma State its first real look at a team that has been reshaped by change. The program has brought in 92 new players, which Weiberg called a record in college football as of now. He framed it as part of the new reality of the sport, especially during coaching transitions, and said the staff has done a strong job blending the newcomers with the returning players.
Coach Mike Morris, Weiberg said, has already made a strong impression. He described Morris as someone who has won wherever he has coached and credited him with being able to solve problems and turn programs around. Weiberg also pointed to Morris’s offensive background and said his Texas roots have helped him connect with the Oklahoma State fan base.
“Everyone that’s met him really likes him,” Weiberg said.
That new offense is one of the biggest storylines heading into the opener, and Weiberg said the Cowboys’ identity has long been tied to scoring points. He expects that to continue under Morris, whose background is on that side of the ball.
The attention on quarterback Drew Mestemaker is only adding to the anticipation. Tulsa coach Kevin Wilson even compared him to Brett Favre, but Weiberg said the program is trying not to pile on too much expectation too early. He said Mestemaker arrived with Morris, giving him a built-in comfort level with the offense and with teammates around him.
“We’re excited to see what he can do,” Weiberg said. “We’re trying not to put too much expectation on him. We’ve got to get him out there and let him see what he can do.”
Weather could be a factor in Tulsa, but Weiberg said the heat won’t change the mood. He said both Oklahoma State and Tulsa are making preparations to help fans deal with it, including water and places to cool down if needed.
And for Weiberg, this weekend is about more than just the game itself. It’s about the return of football season, the energy around the program and the fan base that has stayed with the Cowboys through the downturn.
“Loyal and true is a real thing in Stillwater,” Weiberg said.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Still Has One Crucial Battle To Settle In Week 1
Oklahoma States secondary is still sorting itself out heading into Week 1, and the cornerback room has become one of the more interesting parts of camp. The depth chart points to a true competition, with multiple players listed as possible starters and the staff leaving room for flexibility rather than locking in a pair and moving on. For a defense that wants to open the season on solid footing, the Cowboys are clearly treating the job as something to be earned, not assigned.
Head coach Eric Morris has said all five cornerbacks have stood out in fall camp, which is why the group appears headed for a rotation when Tulsa comes to town. The bigger question now is how that competition carries into live action, because Morris has made it clear the final call will come down to what happens on the field, not just what has shown up in practice. In a room this crowded, Week 1 may not settle everything, but it should go a long way toward defining who is first in line. [Read more 🡒]
Eric Morris Sees Familiar Stakes In Tulsa Showdown
Tre Lamb sees a bit of his own path in Eric Morris, and it is easy to understand why. Both coaches climbed through FCS jobs on their way to bigger stages, building reputations as young program builders before landing in the state of Oklahoma. Morris, now leading Oklahoma State, has been quick to notice the resemblance and has spoken highly of Lambs development, framing Tulsas new coach as someone who has earned each step of the rise.
The matchup brings those similar careers into the same game for the first time, which adds a little extra intrigue to an already local showdown. Morris also likes what he has seen from Tulsas broader effort to give Lamb the support needed to reshape the program, and that kind of backing matters when a coach is trying to establish a new identity. The stakes Saturday are about more than a scoreboard, because both sides will be measuring how far their young coaches have come and how much further they can still go. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Opens A New Era With Immediate Pressure At Tulsa
Oklahoma State is stepping into a new era with a rematch that carries far more weight than a typical early-season game. Last years loss to Tulsa snapped a 10-game winning streak in the rivalry and helped trigger the end of Mike Gundys tenure, so the trip back into this matchup comes with plenty of history attached. Eric Morris now takes over with a roster flooded by 91 newcomers, and the Cowboys are trying to turn a fresh start into something sturdier than a reset on paper.
For Morris, the timing makes the game feel less like an opener and more like an early stress test of the programs direction. Tulsa already has a place in this story, and Oklahoma State does not need a reminder that one bad night in this series can change the tenor of a season. A win would not solve everything for a team still being built, but it would give the Cowboys a needed surge of momentum and a first real step toward changing the narrative. [Read more 🡒]