Game Preview: Oklahoma State Looking for Colossal Upset at No. 6 Oregon
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Oklahoma State is looking to make a major upset this weekend against one of the top teams in college football.
On Saturday, OSU will head to Eugene for a matchup against No. 6 Oregon. With the Ducks expected to be in the College Football Playoff discussion, this will be a massive test for the Cowboys and could easily feature the toughest opponent OSU faces all season.
With Oregon on the slate this weekend, OSU will face an FBS opponent for the first time this season and seek its first win over a ranked team since 2023. After rebuilding the team this offseason, OSU secured a 27-7 win against UT Martin in Week 1 but lost starting quarterback Hauss Hejny in the process.
While Zane Flores was still in the race for QB1, he is suddenly getting the keys to the offense indefinitely and will make his first collegiate start on Saturday. While any player’s first start at the college level is a big deal, a freshman quarterback going into an environment like Oregon could make for some mixed results.
Of course, the environment should be the least of Flores’ worries on Saturday, as he will be going up against one of the top defenses in the country with future NFL talent throughout the Oregon defense. Although it will be a tough task, if Flores can keep his composure and, more importantly, hang onto the football, OSU might have a chance.
Still, moving the ball downfield against that Oregon defense will be easier said than done. On the other hand, OSU’s seemingly improved defense will be looking to make a statement. With defensive coordinator Todd Grantham bringing in a toughness that comes with decades of coaching experience, the Cowboys might be ready to show their new attitude on that end.
Although playing against Oregon’s offensive line will be much different, Wendell Gregory managed to rack up three sacks in the season opener, plus Kale Smith’s fourth-quarter interception showed that OSU can be a forceful and opportunistic defense.
Against talents like Dante Moore and Makhi Hughes, OSU’s ability to continue that success will be tested repeatedly. Still, if the Cowboys’ defense can slow what could be one of the nation’s top offenses and at least take care of the ball against one of the nation’s top defenses, Saturday’s matchup should be much closer than the over four-touchdown advantage Oregon is being given by sportsbooks.
However, it will be up to the Cowboys to keep it close and maybe give themselves a chance to pull the early upset of the season.
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.