Oklahoma State Can't Compete With the Best of the Best

The Cowboys showed that teams like Arizona are simply too much better.

Feb 7, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Steve Lutz watches from the sidelines during the first half of the game against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State isn’t ready to compete with the best.

On Saturday, OSU lost 84-47 to No. 1 Arizona in Tucson. After securing back-to-back wins in Big 12 play, including a win against a ranked BYU team, OSU had one of its worst all-around outings of the Steve Lutz era.

The Cowboys’ 37-point margin of defeat marked their largest loss since last season’s 38-point home loss against Texas Tech. It also marked just the fifth time OSU had lost a Big 12 matchup by at least 37 points.

After Wednesday night’s inspired win over No. 16 BYU, it seemed as if the Cowboys were ready to turn a corner for the season. OSU’s players noted how that matchup against the Cougars could serve as the turning point for the season, and Lutz made sure to stress the importance of celebrating the win but getting back to work to prepare for this matchup against Arizona.

Of course, there’s absolutely still a chance that the Cowboys are able to turn a corner in the near future, and the BYU win could absolutely give OSU the confidence boost it needs moving forward. However, there’s still a chance that the win over BYU was much more of a fluke than OSU’s 37-point loss in Tucson.

Throughout the season, this OSU team has been unable to find consistency, particularly against Big 12 competition. Every time it seems as if the Cowboys are turning a corner, they have a major setback.

After the BYU win, the Cowboys leaped right back onto the NCAA Tournament bubble. And while a loss on the road against the best team in the country isn’t all that disturbing on its own, the massive margin of defeat could play a role in OSU’s ability to maintain its spot on the bubble.

Although OSU has only seven losses thus far, five of those defeats have come by double digits, a sign that the Cowboys might not have what it takes to be a consistently good team. That idea is only furthered by the fact that the Cowboys also only have two double-digit wins in conference play.

Sure, the Cowboys have shown they can beat some solid teams, but they are still clearly a long way from competing with the true best of the best. All of OSU’s goals for the season are still on the table, but the long-term hopes of competing on the national stage will continue to be long-term hopes.

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