STILLWATER - Eric Morris knows the danger that comes with a win like the one Oklahoma State just posted.
After a loss to Tulsa and then a bounce-back win over Oregon, the Cowboys are walking into a week that can turn slippery fast. Morris said the challenge now is making sure the message doesn’t get lost in the celebration.
“We’re going to have to be really good as coaches this week because everybody’s going to tell them how good they are now all of a sudden,” Morris said.
That kind of attention can soften a team if it isn’t handled right, and Morris sounded fully aware of it. He said last week’s response to the Tulsa loss came with a serious edge, including practices outdoors in the Oklahoma heat instead of using the indoor facility.
Morris also pointed to Curt Cignetti’s approach at Indiana as another model he’s considered, noting the Hoosiers get through some preseason practices in about an hour and a half. For Morris, the task is finding the right blend between that kind of efficiency and the harder, more demanding style that can still be necessary.
“It will be key for us all year, and I think every team’s going to be different, right?” Morris said Tuesday.
“And I think for us, I thought that that’s what we needed at that time knowing we’re going to play in the heat. There are going to be times as the season goes on with our depth, we’re going to have to cut reps down.
We’ve done that everywhere. Now, the intensity needs to stay high on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then we have to be able to get things out of walkthroughs and things of that nature, which we will.
“I think that’s something we’re going to have to monitor. I don’t have the perfect answer for you right now of what we’ll do, but it’s something we’ll spend time sitting down with all the coordinators and trying to figure out ‘hey, what’s the perfect limit for this group.’
At a certain point, you start getting banged up in certain positions. You’re going to have to monitor what you do.”
The broader picture around Oklahoma State is simple enough: a lot of people expected a 1-1 start, with a win over Tulsa and a loss to Oregon. That’s exactly where the Cowboys sat before the Oregon victory changed the tone around the program.
Now the expectation swings hard in the other direction. Murray State comes to Stillwater as an FCS opponent that finished 2-22 combined in 2024 and 2025, and the Cowboys are massive 55.5-point favorites on FanDuel as of writing.
That number alone tells the story of how lopsided the matchup looks, but Morris said the real issue is making sure the team keeps building instead of coasting on what happened last week.
“Our sample size in two weeks are two totally different results,” Morris said. “And so, like, for us to learn and grow from that and know, hey, this one thing that we did right here worked extremely well, and on the contrary, the other one didn’t, right?
And I think we see it every week in college sports in general. It’s why people love it.
They’re glued to it.
“I’ve been brutally honest with them. And obviously, you can say trap game, you can say rat poison, read your own press clippings, distractions, like everything that can be said as distractions, but like, I was really pleased by the way our kids came out and like the energy and the way we attacked the practice today.”
In Other News...
West Virginia Is Becoming A Team Oregon State Fans Should Track
West Virginia is starting to look like one of the more interesting teams on Oregon States radar, if only because the Mountaineers keep giving people reasons to pay attention. Rich Rodriguez has them off to a 2-0 start, and the early production has come from familiar names in unfamiliar places, with quarterback Michael Hawkins and running back Cam Cook both settling in quickly after transferring in.
The timing only adds to the intrigue. The Big 12 has already placed Oklahoma States conference opener in Morgantown for a 6 p.m. Central kickoff on Sept. 26, setting up a second straight night game for the Cowboys after their matchup with Murray State. For Oregon State fans following the larger college football picture, it is another reminder that West Virginia could become a team worth tracking well before the league race really starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Faces An Early Test That Could Rattle Beavers Fans
Montana brings an unbeaten start into its Sept. 19 trip to Reser Stadium, and that alone makes this a noteworthy early test for Oregon State. The Grizzlies have opened 3-0 and arrive with the kind of momentum that can turn a nonconference game into a real measuring stick, especially in Corvallis, where the Beavers will be expected to handle business.
There is also a fresh look to Montana under new head coach Bobby Kennedy, which adds another layer of uncertainty for Oregon State to solve. The Grizzlies have enough talent at the key spots to make that change matter, with Kealii Ah Yat directing the offense, Eli Gillman giving them a ground threat, Brooks Davis working as a receiving option, and Peyton Wing anchoring the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State's Loss Still Revealed A Breakout Beavers Fans Needed
The opener against Texas Tech ended in a 35-24 loss and left Oregon State 0-2, but it also gave the Beavers something to build around after a rough start. Senior defender Sullivan was active all over the field with 11 tackles and a sack, transfer Matagi helped the pass rush with a sack and steady pressure on the quarterback, and receiver Hampton added four catches for 50 yards to keep the offense moving.
The biggest reason for optimism, though, came from the passing game, where quarterback Atkinson completed 29 passes for 399 yards and two touchdowns while the receivers finally flashed big-play ability. True freshman Legree emerged as the headliner with eight catches for 240 yards and two scores, a breakout performance that should change how Oregon State is defended moving forward, especially if the Beavers can keep getting that kind of production from a young playmaker. [Read more 🡒]