Burning Answers: Lessons Learned in Oklahoma State's Season-Ending Loss

Oklahoma State’s season is officially over, and some of the remaining questions were answered.

OSU lost 20-13 against Iowa State on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater to finish with a 1-11 mark and secure a second straight winless year in conference play. While OSU would’ve loved to have a better finish to a rough season, the new era can officially begin.

Answers to burning questions in OSU’s matchup vs. Iowa State:

Can Zane Flores make a case to remain a starter in 2026?

Throughout this season, it has been nearly impossible to judge Zane Flroes’ play. After being thrust into the starting role once Hauss Hejny suffered a season-ending injury one quarter into the year, Flores has been up and down.

While his first few games were quite rough, an injury took him out for a sizeable chunk of the regular season. And although he showed some intriguing flashes after his return to the field, his performance on Saturday, a 202-yard day with an interception, showed again that he simply might not be able to compete at a high level against Big 12 competition.

Will Cowboy seniors end their careers on a high note?

Unfortunately for the Cowboys who were in Stillwater over the past few years, this matchup went just like so many others have recently. The Cowboys won only one game this season, coming against an FCS squad, and while they were able to keep it close against Iowa State, there wasn’t much for OSU to celebrate on Saturday.

Still, those Cowboys playing in their final collegiate game had the opportunity to participate in Senior Day activities and many of those graduating players were given some opportunity to make an impact against the Cyclones. While Saturday didn’t come with the happy ending most were hoping for, it was still a day of celebration for the seniors.

Will energy be better in Boone Pickens Stadium after hiring a new coach?

While the buzz surrounding the program has certainly grown over the past few weeks, the energy inside the stadium was quite lacking. Of course, with a blustery day in Stillwater combined with an 11 a.m. kickoff, the turnout for a 1-10 team was unlikely to be anything special.

Still, the Cowboys had supported the team well during home games all season, and there was some reasonable hope that there would be a rowdy crowd to give the team a proper sendoff for battling through all of the hardships that came along with the 2025 season.