Former Oklahoma State Star's Week 2 Gives Another Reminder of Cowboys' Fall

One that got away had a big week for a Big 12 foe.

Sep 6, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights running back Jaden Nixon (5) runs a 96 yard kickoff return for a touchdown during the first quarter against the North Carolina A&T Aggies at Acrisure Bounce House. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State had a rough weekend, and Monday made it sting just a bit more.

On Saturday, OSU went into Autzen Stadium and lost 69-3, marking the largest loss of the Mike Gundy era. Even flirting with the largest loss in program history, the Cowboys’ performance on Saturday was one that the team would like to forget as soon as possible.

While the Cowboys were getting destroyed in Oregon, some other Big 12 schools were putting on a show. Among those teams was UCF, which beat North Carolina A&T 68-7, effectively having the opposite of whatever OSU’s weekend was.

On Monday, the Big 12 announced that UCF’s running back won the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week award. Typically, that wouldn’t mean much to the Cowboys, but it unfortunately tells a story that OSU doesn’t want to hear.

Of course, that’s because UCF’s running back is Jaden Nixon. The running back just transferred in from Western Michigan, but he had spent the first three seasons of his career in Stillwater. 

Oct 14, 2023; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State's Jaden Nixon (3) runs the ball against the Kansas Jayhawks in the fourth quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan J. Fish-Imagn Images | Nathan J. Fish-Imagn Images

From 2021-23, Nixon was mostly in a backup role in Stillwater, playing behind the likes of Jaylen Warren, Dominic Richardson and Ollie Gordon.

Still, Nixon was a solid player in the backfield and was always a reliable return man, most notably returning a kickoff for a touchdown in OSU’s 2022 Big 12 opener against Baylor. Considering the Cowboys have had some major issues in the rushing department this season, it’s hard not to imagine what OSU might have if Nixon simply stuck around.

In the win against North Carolina A&T, Nixon had four rushes for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Yes, four rushes. He also added a 96-yard kickoff return touchdown, showing how dangerous he can be even in limited action.

With OSU still showing five potential starters on the most recent depth chart, there really isn’t any clear Ollie Gordon replacement in Stillwater yet. Considering how bad OSU looked in every facet on Saturday, there might not be much progress in finding that next lead back.

Although Nixon might not be some superstar in Orlando, he should be a key contributor for a UCF team that is at least hoping to claw its way into the Big 12 title race. With the Cowboys and Knights set to play later this season, there’s certainly a chance that Nixon will be the one to put the nail in the coffin for OSU’s bowl hopes.

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