Oklahoma State vs. Houston: The Matchups That Will Decide the Game
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For the Oklahoma State Cowboys, their Oct. 17 showdown with the Houston Cougars will mark the halfway point of the season.
By that point, first-year head coach Eric Morris hopes that his team has a winning record and is poised to challenge the Cougars for his spot among the top teams in the conference.
While Oklahoma State is coming off a one-win season in 2025, the Cougars won 10 games last year and claimed a bowl victory over LSU. Houston is picked by many to be among the contenders to win the conference in their third year under head coach Willie Fritz.
Here are the matchups that will decide the game.
OSU Passing Game vs. Houston Secondary
The Cowboys should have one of the best passing offenses in the Big 12 this season. That starts with quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who threw for more than 4,000 yards last season at North Texas. By following Morris to Oklahoma State, he’ll be playing in the same system that vaulted him to the top of FBS last season. Plus, his top receiver, Wyatt Young, also made the move from UNT to OSU and will be at Mestemaker’s disposal as well.
The Cowboys procured a depth chart with other productive transfers, including former Wake Forest wide receiver Chris Barnes and tight end Donovan Green, who was at LSU last year and has been waiting for an opportunity to shine.
But Houston has a secondary that could give the Cowboys fits if Mestemaker and his receivers aren’t on their game. The Cougars are led by All-Big 12 cornerback Will James, who led the team with three interceptions last year. Safeties Kentrell Webb and Jordan Allen are also back. Plus, Houston pulled a great FCS transfer in Stephen F. Austin’s Jalen Mayo, who had four interceptions.
It’s the Cowboys’ high-octane offense against the Cougars’ ball-hawkish secondary. Should be fun.
OSU Front Six vs. Houston Run Game
Oklahoma State’s defense faced a solid running game last year against Houston. It could be even better this year thanks to the transfer of former Oregon back Makhi Hughes.
He was used sparingly last year with the Ducks. Before he joined Oregon, he spent two years at Tulane and he was terrific. In 2023 Hughes rushed for 1,378 yards and seven scores. He followed that up with a 2024 in which he rushed for 1,451 yard and 15 touchdowns. He was recruited by Houston coach Willie Fritz, who was Tulane’s head coach in 2023. So this is kind of a homecoming for Hughes to a coach and a scheme he’s had success in.
If Hughes is as successful with Houston as he was with Tulane, that will put a lot of pressure on Oklahoma state's front six in their 4-2-5 defense. Stopping the run will come down too their tackles, led by Saadiq Clements and Jerry Lawson, along with linebackers Ethan Wesloski and Tate Romney. All are transfers, though some transferred in from UNT and know the scheme. But getting them to work together to stop the run against a more experience Houston team that features two returning offensive linemen is going to be a battle the Cowboys must win.
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Matthew Postins is the publisher of Oklahoma State on SI. He is an award-winning sports journalist who was formerly the editor of the College Football America Yearbook and covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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