Oklahoma State Football Jumps to No. 19 After WVU Win
Oklahoma State Football Jumps to No. 19 After 41-24 Win Over West Virginia
Oklahoma State football is back in the AP Top 25 for the first time in two years after the Cowboys rallied for a 41-24 road victory over West Virginia in their Big 12 opener Saturday night. The win moved OSU to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while Sunday’s new Associated Press poll placed the Cowboys at No. 19 nationally.
The Cowboys trailed West Virginia by one point at halftime before taking control after the break, outscoring the Mountaineers 28-10 in the second half. Quarterback Drew Mestemaker led the comeback with 389 passing yards and three touchdowns, while running back Caleb Hawkins added a season-high 180 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Oklahoma State Football Takes Over in Second Half
West Virginia built a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter before Oklahoma State began cutting into the deficit.
Kicker Sam Keltner connected on a 19-yard field goal before Mestemaker found Justin Bowick for a 21-yard touchdown just before halftime, sending the Cowboys into the locker room trailing only 14-13.
The second half belonged to OSU.
After West Virginia stretched its lead to 21-13, Mestemaker answered with a four-yard touchdown pass to Terrence Lewis, followed by a successful two-point conversion that tied the game at 21.
West Virginia briefly regained the lead with a field goal, but Hawkins broke loose for a 22-yard touchdown run that put Oklahoma State ahead 28-24 late in the third quarter. The Cowboys never trailed again.
According to the official Oklahoma State game recap, OSU finished with 609 yards of total offense, including 359 yards after halftime.
The Cowboys also shut out West Virginia 13-0 in the fourth quarter, with Keltner adding two field goals and Mestemaker connecting with Wyatt Young for a six-yard touchdown.
Drew Mestemaker Throws for 389 Yards and Three Touchdowns
Mestemaker completed 20 of 27 passes for 389 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, producing his third consecutive 300-yard passing game.
He was especially effective after halftime, completing 11 of 14 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns.
The Cowboys generated production throughout the offense. Hawkins finished with 180 rushing yards, while Young caught eight passes for 192 receiving yards.
OSU produced 12 offensive plays of at least 20 yards, including 10 through the passing game.
The defense also delivered late. Oklahoma State stopped West Virginia on each of its final four possessions, forcing three turnovers on downs and a punt, according to the Cowboys’ official postgame notes.
The victory snapped an 18-game Big 12 losing streak for Oklahoma State dating back to November 2023 and gave first-year head coach Eric Morris his first conference victory with the Cowboys.
OSU also improved to 3-1 for the first time since 2021 and has now defeated West Virginia in six consecutive games in Morgantown.
Cowboys Return to AP Top 25 at No. 19
The victory was enough to move Oklahoma State back into the national rankings Sunday.
The Cowboys are No. 19 in the new AP Top 25, marking their first appearance in the poll since they were ranked No. 20 on September 22, 2024.
According to Oklahoma State Athletics, the Cowboys are now one of five ranked Big 12 teams, joining No. 10 BYU, No. 12 Texas Tech, No. 13 Utah and No. 20 Houston.
The top three remained unchanged, with Texas ranked No. 1, Georgia No. 2 and Notre Dame No. 3. Florida climbed to No. 8 following its victory over Ole Miss.
Oklahoma State also sits just outside the US LBM Coaches Poll Top 25, receiving enough votes to rank the Cowboys 26th.
The Cowboys now get a week off before returning to Boone Pickens Stadium.
Oklahoma State hosts UCF on Saturday, October 10, giving the newly ranked Cowboys an opportunity to build on their first Big 12 victory and a 3-1 start under Morris.
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