STILWATER, Okla. - The Oklahoma State Cowboys are going to be reaping the rewards of Saturday's 39-31 win over No. 6 Oregon .
In fact, head coach Eric Morris i s already thinking of ways to bring his players back down to earth as they prepare to play Murray State next Saturday at home. It was the biggest win for Oklahoma State since beating Oklahoma and the final Bedlam game in 2023 and there were so many turning points in this contest it was hard to distill it down to three.
Here are the three biggest moments of Saturday's game that helped lead to the Cowboys ' huge victory over the Ducks.
Oklahoma State Cowboys quarterback Drew Mestemaker. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On the first play of the game, the Cowboys quarterback rushed 75 yards to the Oregon 3-yard line to set up a first-and-goal situation for Oklahoma State . The drive ultimately led to a field goal.
Why it Mattered:It set the tone for the entire contest. Mestemaker isn't exactly known for his athleticism although if you ask his teammates, they'll tell you how athletic he is. What stood out wasn't so much that he ran for 75 yards but how the play developed.
It was a simple fake handoff to Caleb Hawkins , who ran to the right. Mestemaker was a little surprised that one of the linebackers bit on the fake. He was very surprised that one of the Oregon safeties bit on the fake. That's what gave him all that room to run. Many times, teams run that as a run play to the running back and get a few years. Mestemaker broke the game open right away.
As a tone setter for a day when the Cowboys stunned the No. 6 team in the country, one couldn't do much better. It allowed the Cowboys offense to get comfortable immediately and it allowed Morris to be more creative with his play calling, which showed up throughout the contest.
Oklahoma State Cowboys defensive end Jaleel Johnson. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Ducks were set up at the Oklahoma State 43-yard-line and facing 4th-and-7. Oregon opted to go for it, and Cowboys defensive end Jaleel Johnson sacked Oregon quarterback Dante Moore for a 5-yard loss and a change of possession. The Cowboys ultimately turned that change of possession into a field goal at the other end, giving them a 30-24 lead with 31 seconds left in the third quarter.
Why It Mattered:The Cowboys sacked Moore four times on Saturday, and they put constant pressure on him. Throughout the week, according to linebacker Ethan Wesloski, the emphasis was on the defensive line getting pressure on the quarterback without a blitz. The Cowboys did that throughout the game.
Of those four sacks, this was the biggest because of the dynamic of the game at that point. The Cowboys were up three points. The Ducks scored on their last possession and the Cowboys were forced to punt on the possession after Oregon's touchdown. Had Oregon converted there it would have been inside the Cowboys' 35-yard line and been in field goal range. At minimum the Ducks could have tied the game. Instead that sack changed possession and gave Oklahoma State a chance to pad their lead.
The fact that the sack was made by Johnson, who endured last year's 69-3 blowout to Oregon in Eugene last year, was icing on the cake.
With 10:21 left in the game, Cowboys quarterback Drew Mestemaker ran out into the left flat and tucked the ball to try and run for a touchdown. He went airborne at the 2-yard line, crossed the goal like while taking a hit to the back and scored to give the Cowboys a 36-31 lead. It turned out to be the go-ahead score.
Why It Mattered:Aside from the fact that it gave the Cowboys the lead, it was another example of the toughness the team displayed throughout the game, something that frankly was missing last week against Tulsa and that Morris acknowledged.
It was also an example of learning from experience. Mestemaker said after the game that he went one-on-one with the would-be tackler earlier in the contest and remembered that he went low. That's why he jumped. The tackler went low and completely missed him.
Mestemaker wasn't trying to create a highlight reel touchdown. He was simply trying to avoid lowering his shoulder and taking more contact than he wanted. It was a smart move, even though another tackler did hit him in the back in midair and it knocked the wind out of him. It showed his intelligence on the fly.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oklahomastate as Three Biggest Moments that Led to Oklahoma State's Week 2 Victory over Oregon .
