What Happened Last Time Oklahoma State Cowboys Faced Colorado Buffaloes

Looking back at the last time the Oklahoma State Cowboys faced the Colorado Buffaloes. It did not go well for the Cowboys.

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The best thing about having a new head coach is that a program can get a fresh start. And Oklahoma State needs one.

As Eric Morris, the Cowboys’ new head coach, runs down the list of 2026 opponents he's likely to find a common theme among the nine Big 12 games. The Cowboys have lost the last meeting to each team.

That includes the Colorado Buffaloes, who will visit still Stillwater on Oct. 24 in a renewal of a rivalry first played in the 1920s.

Here’s what happened the last time the Cowboys faced the Buffaloes.

The Last Time Oklahoma State Played Colorado

Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

The game, played on Nov. 29, 2024, had some drama attached to it at least from Colorado’s end. There were scenarios in which the Buffaloes could clinch a berth in the Big 12 Championship game with a win and some help.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was having a great season. Two-way superstar Travis Hunter was a couple of weeks away from winning the Heisman Trophy. Second-year head coach Deion Sanders looked like a genius for having flipped the Buffs into winners in just two seasons.

Colorado knew it was destined for a bowl game. Oklahoma State knew it was destined for a long offseason. The Cowboys were just hoping to screw things up for the Buffaloes. Perhaps turn Colorado’s faint hopes of a Big 12 title game berth into dust. Nothing of the sort happened as Colorado won, 52-0.

Colorado ran over Oklahoma State like a freight train. The Buffs had a 21-0 lead after the first quarter. Running back Micah Welch ran for a touchdown, while Sanders threw two touchdown passes — one to LaJohntay Wester and the other to Hunter.

After a second quarter without scoring, Sanders threw two more touchdown passes in the third quarter, one to Wester and one to Hunter. The Buffs ended the third quarter with an Alejandro Mata field goal from 33 yards out, which gave Colorado a 38-0 lead.

The fourth quarter got no better — at least not for Oklahoma State. D.J. McKinney picked off a pass and returned it 13 yards for a touchdown and Sanders threw his fifth touchdown pass of the game, and third to Hunter to close out the scoring.

Sanders threw for 438 yards and five touchdowns. Hunter caught 10 passes for 116 yards and three scores. Wester caught 11 passes for 175 yard and two scores.

OSU threw for 77 yards, and the Buffs defense rendered Ollie Gordon II inert as he rushed for just 10 yards.

It wrapped up an awful season in Stillwater. Oklahoma State ended the year on a nine-game skid after being picked to finish third in the preseason media poll. This marked the Cowboys' first winless conference season since 1994 when they were in the Big 8.