This year’s Oklahoma State-Iowa State matchup comes with a very different look than the one fans saw a season ago. Both programs are under new leadership now, with Eric Morris taking over for Oklahoma State and Jimmy Rogers arriving at Iowa State.
The roster churn has been just as dramatic. Morris brought nearly 20 former North Texas players with him, while Rogers added nearly 50 players through the transfer portal after coming over from Washington State.
The teams will meet Oct. 31 at Jack Trice Stadium, and Oklahoma State still holds the edge in the all-time series, 34-22-3. The Cowboys are also 15-14-1 in Ames.
The last time these teams played, though, the game was in Stillwater and had the feel of a tight, grind-it-out finish. Iowa State came in already thinking about bowl season, while Oklahoma State was trying to end a brutal 17-game Big 12 losing streak. The Cyclones struck first and held control early, but the Cowboys kept hanging around.
Kyle Konrardy opened the scoring late in the first quarter with a 45-yard field goal, and Iowa State pushed the lead to 10-0 in the second quarter when Rocco Becht hit Chase Sowell on a 16-yard touchdown pass. Oklahoma State answered just before halftime, though, as Trent Howland punched in an 8-yard touchdown run in the final two minutes to trim the deficit to 10-7.
The second half turned into a back-and-forth stretch. Abu Sama broke loose for a 40-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, but Logan Ward answered with a 28-yard field goal to keep the Cowboys within a score at 17-10.
In the fourth quarter, the kickers traded again: Konrardy drilled a 35-yarder and Ward matched him with a 41-yarder with 3:50 left. Oklahoma State never got the touchdown it needed to force overtime.
The numbers reflected the kind of game it was. Becht finished with 113 passing yards and a touchdown, while Carson Hansen led Iowa State on the ground with 111 rushing yards. Sowell caught four passes for 54 yards and the score.
For Oklahoma State, Zane Flores threw for 202 yards in what was his final game for the Cowboys before transferring to Iowa State after the season. Howland finished with 37 rushing yards, and Terrill Davis led OSU receivers with five catches for 57 yards.
In Other News...
Oklahoma States Kashie Natt Fight Just Took A Massive Turn
Kashie Natts fight with the NCAA has taken a meaningful turn, with a judge clearing the way for him to return to Oklahoma States mens basketball team and take part in all team activities while his lawsuit moves forward. The ruling also keeps the NCAA from carrying out its waiver cancellation or taking action against Natt or the Cowboys during the legal process, giving the program at least some immediate relief as the case works its way through court.
The dispute traces back to the NCAAs decision to cancel two waiver requests after Natt had competed in 2025-26 following relief granted in December 2024, and the judge said there may be merit to claims that the requests did not receive proper individual review or application of waiver criteria. A new judge will later set a full hearing that is expected to determine Natts eligibility for next season, leaving the biggest question in the case still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
K-State Lands Two Spots On Preseason All-Big 12 Team
The Big 12s preseason honors list, released ahead of media days in Frisco, offered an early snapshot of where the leagues respect is landing heading into 2026. BYUs LJ Martin was voted Offensive Player of the Year and Texas Techs A.J. Holmes took Defensive Player of the Year, while the full team selections spread across the conference and gave a clear picture of which programs are drawing the most attention before camp even opens.
For Oklahoma State, the list was a quieter one, with wide receiver Wyatt Young standing as the Cowboys lone preseason All-Big 12 selection. That kind of solitary nod can still matter in a league where the preseason conversation is already tilting toward teams piling up multiple honors, and it leaves the Cowboys with a simple kind of proving ground once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]