What Tulsa Does Better Than Oklahoma State and Why It Matters

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane would love to beat the Oklahoma State Cowboys in two straight seasons. This one area could help make it happen.

Tulsa Golden Hurricane safety Lento Smith Jr. intercepts a pass. | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State’s loss to Tulsa last season was a turning point for the season and for the program's history.

The loss led to the firing of Mike Gundy as head coach, a former Cowboys quarterback who had lifted the program to heights of success it had never experienced before. But like every coach, there's always a moment where one wears out his welcome. And Gundy did that so for the Cowboys.

OSU hired Eric Morris, who led North Texas to an American Conference championship game appearance in 2025. He adheres to many of the same principles as Gundy on the offensive side of the ball. But he's also overseeing a massive flip of a roster that won one game last year.

There are things Cowboys fans would like Morris to do in 2026. For starters, they would like to beat Tulsa right out of the gate. It's not about setting a tone for the season. It's about getting a little revenge.

Tulsa won last year's game in Stillwater for many reasons, but Tulsa did one thing much better than OSU and it could be a factor again when they meet on Sept. 5.

Tulsa Did This Better Than OSU in 2025

Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris calls a time out during a spring football game. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It seems like a small thing, but it was one of the things Tulsa clearly did better than Oklahoma State last September. The Golden Hurricane won a close game, 19-12, and they dominated time of possession. Tulsa held the football for nearly 35 minutes, and it was one of the biggest reasons it pulled off its first win in Stillwater since 1951.

Comparing the two teams for 2025, their time of possession averages were essential the same. Both averaged 28 minutes per game on offense. But does that apply here? After all, Morris is in charge now. At North Texas, the Mean Green had one of the best offenses in the country. But it wasn’t built on time of possession. The Mean Green’s average time of possession per game was also in the 28-minute range.

North Texas had far more offensive success than either Oklahoma State or Tulsa last season. It was built on talent and Morris’ offensive scheme, which led to high scoring but less time of possession. Tulsa’s ability to possess the ball in this matchup last season does apply in this case.

If one is looking for an area where Tulsa has an advantage over Oklahoma State, based on last year’s game, this is the area. The Golden Hurricane put together that time of possession gap even though they turned the ball over once and couldn’t create an OSU turnover.

That lopsided time of possession can’t be ignored just because of a coaching change, especially since a UNT-coached Morris team had the same time of possession last season as both Tulsa and OSU.

The Golden Hurricane could combine that advantage with a stealthy good transfer class that emphasized bolstering the run game and make Morris’ debut a difficult one in Tulsa. It’s the one thing the Golden Hurricane could do better than Oklahoma State and why it matters.