Oklahoma State vs. UCF: The Matchups That Will Decide the Game

Here are the two key matchups that will decide the game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the UCF Knights on Oct. 10.

Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If one was to build an intrigue level for Oklahoma State’s 2026 football schedule, the Cowboys Oct. 10 contest with the UCF Knights would be high on the list.

Oklahoma State is trying to flip the script on a 1-11 campaign that led to Mike Gundy’s firing and Eric Morris’ hiring. He has leaned heavily into the transfer portal, including importing nearly 20 players from his former stop at North Texas. That has the Cowboys thinking that, at minimum, they can get to a bowl game in year one.

This is Year 2 for Scott Frost at UCF. He returned to the program that made him a household name as a head coach before he went to his alma mater Nebraska and eventually lost the job. In his first year back in Orlando, he nearly got the Knights to a bowl game and seemed personally rejuvenated.

Both teams have stocked rosters, intriguing talent and higher expectations than those outside their programs have for them. Mix it together and you have a game that could be quite exciting.

Here are the matchups that could decide the game.

The Quarterbacks vs. The Secondaries

James Madison Dukes quarterback Alonza Barnett III. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

This game will feature two high-quality quarterbacks. For Oklahoma State it's Drew Mestemaker, the red-shirt sophomore who transferred to the Cowboys, following his head coach Eric Morris, from North Texas after he led FBS in passing yards a year ago.

On the other side it's Alonza Barnett III, who led James Madison to the College Football Playoff last season and had more than 3,000 rushing and passing yards with 38 total touchdowns. It could be an explosive game, and the secondaries will be busy.

UCF has the more experienced outfit with four returning starters — cornerbacks Jayden Bellamy and Antoine Jackson, nickel back Braeden Marshall and safety Demari Henderson. OSU has just one returning starter in cornerback Ladanian Fields. The rest of the secondary is set to be populated with transfers like cornerback Mo Horn, along with safeties Quinton Hammonds, Evan Jackson and Vincent Holmes.

The good news is both defenses run a 4-2-5 so preparation will be easy. Execution will be the hard part.

The Run Game

Oklahoma State's Caleb Hawkins. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The match up on the ground could be a fascinating aspect of this contest. Like the quarterback position, both teams have brand new running backs.

UCF imported Duke Watson from Louisville who rushed for nearly nine yards a carry as a freshman. The more productive and intriguing transfer is Landen Chambers from Central Arkansas, who rushed for 1,273 yards for the FCS power a year ago. The Knights also have Taevion Swint, one of their top recruits from their 2025 class, who redshirted last year. The Knights can throw a committee of backs against Oklahoma State’s remade 4-2-5 defense and thrive.

The Knights defense gets to focus on one back, but he’s a beast. Caleb Hawkins, like Mestemaker, transferred to OSU from North Texas in the offseason. As a true freshman he was the FBS statistical champion in total touchdowns, rushing touchdowns and scoring. His 29 total touchdowns set an FBS freshman record. He rushed for 1,434 yards and had 1,804 all-purpose yards, the latter of which was fourth-most in FBS. He as a freshman and overall all-American.

UCF must figure out how to slow that down. Good luck.