Game notes
- Time and date: Friday, September 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Network: ESPN
- Location: Boone Pickens Stadium — Stillwater, OK
- Spread: Oklahoma State (-13.5)
- Over/under: 55.5
- All-time series: Oklahoma State leads, 44-28-5
- Last meeting: Oklahoma State 45, Tulsa 10 — September 14, 2024
- Current streak: Oklahoma State, 10 (1999-24)
Setting the scene
It’s Friday night under darkest sky in America. Boone Pickens Stadium presents an in-state matchup between frequent non-conference opponents Oklahoma State and Tulsa. Tulsa historically dominated the matchup until the 1950s, but now, the Cowboys have full control of the series with a win in all 10 installments since 1999.
Both teams are fresh off lackluster seasons and stumbled out to rough starts in 2025. Tulsa (1-2, 0-1 American) dropped a road matchup to New Mexico State. Oklahoma State (1-1, 0-0
Big 12) suffered its worst loss since Oklahoma achieved statehood in a 69-3 rout at Oregon. However, there’s nothing a nationally televised victory under the Friday night lights can’t fix. One team picks up its first FBS win of the year, hoping to utilize it as a springboard into conference play.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane outlook
Tulsa is eyeing its first win over Oklahoma State since the turn of the century. The Golden Hurricane had several close calls in 2020 and 2021, but the Cowboys’ 10-game win streak has otherwise been full of decisive results.
When Tulsa first-year head coach Tre Lamb took the podium at American Conference media days in July, he said in regard to recruiting, “There’s no reason we can’t compete with the Oklahoma States of the world and Kansas States of the world. We don’t need those people coming in our backyard and taking our players.” Now Lamb receives an opportunity to compete against the Oklahoma State of the world in Stillwater.
Lamb’s first three games featured mixed results. The Golden Hurricane crushed FCS opponent Abilene Christian to get on the board with a win, but the following week they lost as road favorites at New Mexico State before dropping a conference opener to Navy. That New Mexico State defeat was especially heavy, considering the Golden Hurricane lost starting quarterback Kirk Francis to a concussion, and Francis has yet to return since.
If Francis is unable to go Friday, redshirt freshman Baylor Hayes will make his second-straight start as Tulsa would likely employ an offensive lineup featuring 11 transfers. Hayes performed well when thrown into the fire in Las Cruces, completing 14-of-17 passes for 134 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. In a full game against Navy, he managed 189 yards on a 22-of-37 showing, also with one touchdown and interception apiece.
The position group where Tulsa exhibits the most depth and veteran talent is running back. Oklahoma State’s 2022 leading rusher Dominic Richardson is the feature back with the 11th-most rushing attempts in the FBS. Richardson has capitalized on those frequent carries, averaging 5.6 yards to rank 15th in the country with 296 total. Ajay Allen (6.1 yards per carry) provides excellent depth, as does the explosive Braylin Presley (7.1 yards per carry) — another Oklahoma State transfer whose brother Brennan is the program’s all-time receptions leader.
Other features to watch in Tulsa’s offense include overwhelming No. 1 target Zion Booker, whose 23 receptions are 14 greater than the next closest Golden Hurricane receiver. There’s also the transfer-heavy offensive line which is still a work in progress after allowing three sacks and six tackles for loss to Navy.
Defensively, Tulsa can shift preparation to a more traditional offense after battling Navy’s flexbone scheme last week. The Golden Hurricane’s inability to stifle Navy gives them a bottom 25 rushing defense in a small sample size, but that was their evident strength against New Mexico State. Inside linebacker Ray Coney, a transfer from Coach Lamb’s former stomping grounds at East Tennessee State, is the leader behind it all. Coney ranks third in the FBS with 36 tackles this season, and he finds a way to get involved on the majority of snaps.
Once again, a matchup vs. run-heavy Navy skews the run/pass defensive ranks, but the aerial defense — particularly in the short-to-medium game — was the primary struggle vs. New Mexico State. However, the secondary has received a tremendous boost from true sophomore corner Elijah Green. The second-year Tulsa DB has an FBS-high three interceptions on the season, picking off Navy twice in the first quarter to help his team build a 14-0 lead.
Oklahoma State Cowboys outlook
Last year was uncharted territory for Oklahoma State. The Cowboys were one of college football’s most consistent winners, finishing above .500 for 18 consecutive years from 2006-23, earning 10+ wins eight times and finishing ranked 10 times over that span. It all came crashing down in 2024 when Mike Gundy’s team followed a 3-0 start with nine consecutive losses. And against FBS teams, that streak is currently at 10 after a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad 69-3 defeat at Oregon.
Perhaps a bye week is exactly what the doctored ordered for the Pokes, which haven’t seen a defeat of that magnitude since the world’s first commercial flight. Oklahoma State is still .500 and receives a chance to enter conference play at 2-1 as substantial home favorites.
Oklahoma State lost substantial talent from its 2024 squad, including four NFL Draft picks, and the 2025 team is already without its starting quarterback. TCU transfer Hauss Hejny suffered a broken just one quarter into the season, and he’s expected to miss extended time. That thrusts Zane Flores into a starting role and the freshman seeks major improvement after a 7-of-19, 67-yard, 2-interception showing at Oregon. Hejny’s absence also limits Oklahoma State’s ability to inflict severe damage in the QB run game, and that’s an element the Cowboys’ offense will miss the next month.
What Oklahoma State will try to do in the run game is feed Kalib Hicks early and often. The Oklahoma transfer has 119 yards through two games on the other side of the Bedlam rivalry, and his performance vs. Oregon was the team’s primary bright spot in an otherwise disastrous afternoon. Another skill position player that should make substantial impact for the orange and black is wide receiver Terrill Davis. The Division II transfer took an official visit to Tulsa before becoming a Cowboy this offseason, and he shined as an explosive playmaker in the opener with two receptions spanning 75 yards.
Two games is a smaller sample size than most teams, but Oklahoma State is 13th-to-last nationally in total offense and 22nd-to-last in defense after run-ins with FCS UT Martin and Oregon — two teams on completely opposite sides of the spectrum. But after allowing the Ducks to waddle for 631 yards, some retooling needs to be had on a unit led by first-year coordinator Todd Grantham.
One positive Oklahoma State has observed defensively thus far is the breakout of edge rusher Wendell Gregory. The offseason arrival from South Carolina notched 3.0 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss in the opener and the defensive line is the most sturdy aspect of the defense, equipped with returning 2024 contributors Iman Oates and Jaleel Johnson.
Oregon averaged 8.4 yards per rush and 12.8 yards per pass on Oklahoma State, and the coverage and tackling need to shore up on the back end. Players pertinent to stymieing Tulsa’s run game include transfer linebackers Bryan McCoy and Brandon Rawls, who combine for 42 tackles this year, ranking first and second on the Pokes. In the secondary, fifth-year cornerback Kale Smith stands out as the lone Cowboy to force a turnover this year, hoping to make the most of his new starting role.
Prediction
Oklahoma State enters this Tulsa matchup well-rested, with the infamous Oregon result lingering for 13 entire days before this Friday night contest kicks off. There is a world of elements for the Cowboys to improve on, but one advantage they should feel comfortable creating involves their Wendell Gregory-led pass rush against Tulsa’s refurbished offensive line.
Both teams are currently on backup quarterbacks with one collegiate start, which could lead to shakier offenses as they try to bounce back with their strongest performances yet. Thus, expect a lower-scoring bout in Stillwater, but an improved showing by the Oklahoma State passing attack provides the Pokes that extra touchdown to collect a much-needed win and extend the streak to 11-straight over Tulsa.
Prediction: Oklahoma State 24, Tulsa 17
