Drew Mestemaker walked into Saturday with plenty of noise around him and left Stillwater with the kind of performance that changes a room.
A week after Oklahoma State fans were already souring on the transfer quarterback from North Texas, Mestemaker answered with a rugged, all-over-the-field effort in a 39-31 win over Oregon. He passed for 317 yards and ran for 109, outdueling Dante Moore in front of a pack of NFL scouts in the press box and helping the Cowboys snap a 12-game losing streak.
For Oklahoma State, it was Eric Morris’ first win as the program’s coach, and it came against the No. 6 team in the AP Top 25. The same crowd that had been frustrated after the season-opening loss to Tulsa was dancing on the field when it was over.
The Cowboys needed this one to look nothing like the mess that came before it. They had shown little against Tulsa in a 24-10 loss, and there wasn’t much reason to believe they were ready for a heavyweight like Oregon. But Morris brought a wave of North Texas players with him, and on Saturday that group looked like the team Oklahoma State had been waiting to see.
Mestemaker set the tone immediately. On Oklahoma State’s first snap from scrimmage, he ripped off a 75-yard run, a jolt for a quarterback who had not been known as a runner.
Oklahoma State controlled the first half, piling up 353 yards to Oregon’s 101. Even so, the Cowboys went to halftime up only 24-14 because two turnovers gave the Ducks life.
Devon Jackson turned a tipped pass into a 96-yard interception return for a touchdown. Later, Matayo Uiagalelei picked off Mestemaker at the Oklahoma State 12 and brought it back to the 1, setting up Jordon Davison’s 1-yard touchdown run on the next play to trim the lead to 17-14.
Mestemaker answered that punch with one of his biggest throws of the day, a 52-yard touchdown strike to Wyatt Young that sent Oklahoma State into halftime up 24-14.
Oregon’s Dante Moore, expected to be one of the top picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, eventually settled in. He hit Dakorien Moore for a 36-yard touchdown to cut the Cowboys’ lead to 27-24 in the third quarter, then found Evan Stewart for a 38-yard touchdown pass with the extra point on the opening possession of the fourth quarter to put Oregon ahead 31-30.
But Oklahoma State had the final surge. Mestemaker’s 10-yard touchdown run, capped by a gutsy, acrobatic leap into the end zone that left him flipping and coming up gingerly, put the Cowboys back on top 36-31 with 10:21 left.
He stayed in the game and kept delivering. With just under two minutes remaining, Mestemaker converted a critical third down on the ground to help seal it.
The win also carried a little extra weight given what happened a year ago, when Dan Lanning’s Oregon team rolled past Oklahoma State 69-3 and helped push Mike Gundy out after two decades in Stillwater. After that game, Lanning said, "It never requires extra motivation for an opportunity to go out and kick ass," he said after last year's game, "but it never hurts when somebody pours gasoline on the fire."
In Other News...
Dante Moore Suddenly Has Oregon Fans Worried About A Bigger Problem
Dante Moore came into the season carrying plenty of attention after choosing to return to Oregon rather than head to the NFL Draft, and his opener at least offered some early reassurance. But the first half against Oklahoma State was a different kind of test, the sort that can quickly shift the conversation around a quarterback expected to steady the Ducks in a big spot. NFL scouts were on hand to watch him closely, and the performance did not help quiet the scrutiny.
Moore completed just 5 of 15 passes for 45 yards and took two sacks before halftime, missing several key throws and never quite finding the kind of rhythm Oregon needed. The Ducks also had bigger issues than just the passing game, with the defense struggling to contain Oklahoma State as Oregon went to the break down 10 points. For a team that entered the night with postseason ambitions and a quarterback under the microscope, the first-half concern was less about one bad stretch than the possibility of a larger problem unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Suddenly Has Injury Concerns In The Spots It Can Least Afford
Dan Lannings postgame injury update came with a little more concern than Oregon would like this early in the season, especially after a loss that already leaves plenty for the Ducks to sort through. Tight end Jamari Johnson, who was hurt in the previous game and missed practice this week, does not appear headed for a long-term absence, but the deeper issue is the line of players who were forced out against Oklahoma State and the roles they occupy.
Offensive lineman Douglas Utu and his replacement Trent Ferguson both left the game with injuries, which is the kind of development Oregon can least afford along the front. Running back Jordon Davisons status is still unclear, and while defensive tackle A'Mauri Washington was able to return for situational snaps after briefly exiting, the Ducks are suddenly waiting on several key answers at once as they try to rebound from the setback. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Has A Bigger Problem Than The Halftime Score Against Oklahoma State
At halftime against Oklahoma State, Oregon was still hanging around on the scoreboard, but the first 30 minutes told a far less comforting story. The Ducks trailed 24-17, and the bigger issue was how thoroughly they were being controlled on both sides of the ball, with Oklahoma State piling up yardage while Oregon leaned on a couple of deflected passes to stay within striking distance.
Dante Moore has not been able to settle the offense, completing 5 of 15 passes for 45 yards without a touchdown, and the passing game has been hampered by drops as much as accuracy. The ground attack has not offered much relief either, leaving Oregon with a lot to clean up if it wants to avoid letting a shaky half turn into something much worse. [Read more 🡒]