How Oklahoma State is Leveraging Oregon Showdown for 2028 Recruiting

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are hosting one of the biggest games of the season and they’re using it to impress their Class of 2028 targets.

Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

For most Oklahoma State fans, there is one game on the calendar that has their attention — Oregon.

The Ducks, who are ranked No. 2 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25, visit Stillwater on Sept. 12, the return trip after last year’s visit to Eugene. That game resulted in a 69-3 loss for OSU and set the stage for head coach Mike Gundy’s firing the following weekend after the Cowboys lost at home to Tulsa, 19-12.

Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris knows it will be an uphill battle for the Cowboys against the Ducks. They’re coming off a 1-11 season and while most outsiders are excited by what he’s done to this point, that game will be a litmus test for the early returns of his tenure.

Still, Oklahoma State needs to leverage that game as much as possible, especially with the recruits they hope to land for the Class of 2028. They’re already working in that direction.

How the Oregon Game Can Help Recruiting

🎥 SPRING BALL FILM 🎥

Elijah Smith
DB | Class of 2028
6’3” | 205 lbs
Allen High School
GPA: 3.6@RecruitAllen @alleneaglesfb @TheUCReport @adamgorney @TA_Recruiting @CoachTOAF #AGTG pic.twitter.com/huXJDTnszL

— Elijah Smith (@ElijahSmith_28) June 10, 2026

The latest Class of 2028 target to commit to making his official visit that weekend is Allen (Texas) cornerback Elijah Smith, per 247Sports.com (subscription required). Per the site’s national recruiting analyst, Collin Kennedy, he is also set to make an official visit to Texas A&M on Sept. 5.

Smith is new to Texas. He moved from California recently and will play this first prep season at one of the best high school programs in the state.

He only has three offers but that is likely to change. Oklahoma State offered him in June when he attended a camp, per 247Sports. He also has offers from UNLV and Louisville. The Aggies may offer him when he’s on campus in September.

Chances are he’ll have plenty of company that weekend. Schools don’t make formal announcements about their official visits, but recruits do. Last week, another recruit — Bishop McGuinness linebacker Carter Akin — announced he was making an official visit to OSU on Nov. 14 for the Texas Tech game. He won’t be at the Oregon game, but other recruits will likely announce in the coming weeks.

Having a ranked opponent like Oregon on campus is a chance for the Cowboys to put their best foot forward with a recruit. Oklahoma State will roll out the red carpet and show Smith what gameday in Stillwater is like. The fact that the preseason No. 2 team in the country will be the opponent will only amplify the experience.

This is another step in getting a recruit interested in committing and then signing. The Cowboys must maximize those chances as they only have six home games. Having a recruit like Smith commit to visiting that weekend tells both parties something — there is real interest on both sides in giving Smith a glimpse of what being a Cowboy under Morris looks like.