Welcome to Tuesday Takes, where I give you three takes from the Big 12. It was a jam-packed week full of exciting news, but here are three things that have my attention going into week two.
After what Oklahoma State showed in its embarrassing 24-10 loss to Tulsa, the Cowboys are hard to trust right now. Drew Mestemaker looked rattled, the offensive line struggled, and the run game didn’t offer much help.
Outside of one or two players on that offense, Oklahoma State looked rough across the board. Scoring only ten points against Tulsa in front of a crowd mostly wearing orange is one thing; doing it while Oregon squeaked by Boise State at home is another.
That’s why there’s a real sense Dan Lanning will want to make a statement to the rest of the country, and Oklahoma State may end up paying for it.
On the other end of the spectrum, Cutter Boley has already forced his way into the conversation at Arizona State. Entering the season, there were plenty of new faces to sort through, and with Sam Leavitt in Baton Rouge, Kenny Dillingham turned to the Kentucky transfer to handle the job.
His numbers at Kentucky last season were enough to make anyone hesitate, but Saturday changed the tone fast. Boley threw six touchdown passes and nearly 400 yards against Morgan State, and he looked clean doing it.
The opponent matters, sure, but the talent showed up. Dillingham has a track record of finding quarterbacks, and after that performance, Boley looks like someone who could finish as a top five quarterback in the Big 12.
And then there’s UCF, which feels like it has a real shot to go into Pittsburgh and leave with a win. The Knights’ run game was excellent in week one, and while we didn’t see much of new starting quarterback Alonza Barnett III, he made the most of his limited action.
UCF goes in as a touchdown underdog, but Pitt is still a bit of a mystery in this spot. The Panthers usually lean on a ground-heavy style and don’t often light up the scoreboard, so this has the feel of a physical game from start to finish.
If it comes down to a playmaking moment, Barnett could be the difference in what would amount to his coming-out party. Call me crazy, but I’ll take the Knights taking down Pitt this weekend.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State's New Era Already Has Fans Talking For The Wrong Reasons
Oklahoma States overhaul under Eric Morris already has plenty of attention around it, starting with the arrival of Rajesh Murti, who became the youngest general manager in Power Four history at 24. The Cowboys brought in Murti as part of a new-look setup alongside Morris, hoping the fresh structure would help reshape the program and move it into a new era after a rocky start.
Instead, the early conversation has veered away from football and toward social media chatter around Murti, who drew notice after an Instagram like set off speculation online. There is no verified information about his personal life, but the episode is the kind of off-field distraction that can follow a young, high-profile hire, especially when a program is already under the microscope in the opening stretch of a reset. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Faces A Trust Test At Key Spots Before Oregon
After Oklahoma States Week 1 loss to Tulsa, the staff used the film session to start separating who helped themselves from who left questions hanging. Running back Hawkins and offensive lineman Torgeson came out of it in better shape, giving the Cowboys at least a few bright spots to build around as they turn the page toward Oregon. The process matters now because early-season roles are rarely fixed, and the Cowboys need cleaner answers at a handful of important spots.
Page, Mestemaker and Johnson did not leave the opener with the same kind of momentum, and that puts a little more pressure on the next round of decisions. Oklahoma State is heading into a tougher matchup with Oregon knowing the evaluation is not just about correcting mistakes, but about deciding which players can be trusted when the schedule tightens and the margins get thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Faces A Brutal Oregon Test After A Damaging Start
Last falls meeting between Oregon and Oklahoma State turned lopsided quickly, and the rematch already carries a different kind of unease for the Cowboys. Both teams arrive with questions after Week 1, but the early alarm bells have sounded louder in Stillwater after Oklahoma States rough opening and Oregons far more uneasy-than-expected win over Boise State.
For Oklahoma State, the task now is less about revenge than about stabilization, because the matchup is coming at a time when confidence is already shaky and outside skepticism is easy to find. Oregons side of the equation is not spotless either, which is why this game feels more like a stress test than a simple measuring stick, and it leaves plenty of room for debate about how much either team can be trusted when the ball kicks off. [Read more 🡒]