Oklahoma State Cowboys Must Avoid These Traps on Their 2026 Schedule

For the past two seasons, trap games really haven't been a concern for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. After all, you really can't get trapped when losing games is the reality.

The Cowboys are coming off a forgettable run the past two years. In 2024 they went 3-9 and failed to win a Big 12 game. In 2025 it got even worse, as the Cowboys sank to 1-11 and again went winless in Big 12 play.

A home loss to Tulsa in Week 3 cost former head coach Mike Gundy his job and led to hiring Eric Morris away from North Texas.

There is a wealth of optimism around the Cowboys entering the 2026 season. On paper, they look like a team that could turn things around and at minimum get to a bowl game.

But there are two games on their schedule that, if the Cowboys don't take care of business, getting to a bowl game is going to be hard.

Cowboys Must Avoid These Two Traps

Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker watches practice from the sideline in his uniform. — Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Oklahoma State has two games on its Big 12 schedule that it must win to reach a bowl game and, under the right circumstances, be a player in the Big 12 Championship Game race.

That first game is at home against UCF on Oct. 10. The Knights are coming off a better season than the Cowboys as they went 5-7, which included a 17-14 win over OSU in Orlando last year. UCF has played Oklahoma State twice and won both games. But this Cowboys team looks much more talented than a year ago. But there are still pitfalls.

First, the matchup comes after Oklahoma State’s only bye week. The Cowboys will have two weeks to prep for the Knights. That can be a double-edged sword. OSU may need the rest, but it may also be on a run — best-case scenario being a 3-1 start — and in cases like that some teams like to keep playing.

Second, UCF should be better than last season thanks to the arrival of quarterback Alonza Barnett III. He will elevate the Knights’ quarterback play, just as Drew Mestemaker should elevate OSU. And, theoretically, UCF should be starting the season from a sounder foundation with more holdover talent and success from last season.

The other trap on the schedule is also at home against Colorado on Oct. 24. That game comes after the Cowboys head to Houston on Oct. 17. If OSU returns to Stillwater having won that game, then the Cowboys will be in the Big 12 race and feeling confident — perhaps over-confident.

The Buffs weren’t much better than OSU a season ago, as they went 3-9 with one league win. Colorado doesn’t have a single returning starter from last season but has a bit more continuity on offense with the return of quarterback Julian Lewis. Head coach Deion Sanders turned over both of his offensive coordinators so there will be plenty of adjustments in Boulder.

That’s a game that OSU will have to win to keep its bowl game hopes alive and avoid a loss that could cripple the season with the Cowboys’ biggest stretch of games ahead.

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