Drew Mestemaker's Heisman Campaign Gaining Momentum Ahead of 2026 Season
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Oklahoma State has a chance to add another Heisman winner next season.
Over the past two years, OSU football has been in a rough spot. From finishing 2024 on a nine-game losing streak to a one-win campaign in 2025, the Cowboys are desperate to turn things around in Stillwater.
With new head coach Eric Morris now in the picture, OSU has a real chance at making it back into the top tier of the Big 12, perhaps as early as 2026. With how quickly things can change in this era of college football, just about anything is on the table for the Pokes next season.
One of the reasons OSU could be among the most improved teams in the country is Drew Mestemaker. The North Texas transfer was arguably the best quarterback in college football last season, leading the nation in passing yards.
As he comes into Stillwater looking to star in OSU’s potential turnaround, Mestemaker could easily make headlines well beyond the OSU campus. In ESPN’s recent list of way-too-early Heisman candidates for 2026, Mestemaker was among the potential candidates for Mark Schlabach.
“Mestemaker is one of the best stories in college football,” Schlabach wrote. “He didn't start a single game in high school, then joined North Texas as a walk-on. During the 2025 season, he led the FBS with 4,379 passing yards, helping him capture the Burlsworth Trophy as the top walk-on in the country. He will join former Mean Green coach Eric Morris at Oklahoma State in 2026.”
While Mestemaker was able to make Schlabach’s shortlist of potential Heisman candidates next season, not everyone is sold on his ability to stand out as the top player in college football. In DraftKings’ current odds for Heisman, Mestemaker is +12000, tied with three other players for the 38th-best odds.
It’s understandable why Mestemaker might not be near the top of the list, given that the Cowboys are coming off a one-win season and the jump from the American to the Big 12 is no easy transition. Still, it might only take a signature performance or two in the first month of the season for Mestemaker to quickly jump into the race.
While Mestemaker’s potential Heisman campaign is just one of several storylines surrounding OSU next season, getting back to playing winning football will still be at the top of the list for everyone in Stillwater.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.