What Will Oklahoma State’s Offensive Line Do Without Jacob Sexton?
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It took one offensive drive for the Oklahoma State Cowboys to suffer their first major injury of 2026. And it was a significant one.
Starting left tackle Jacob Sexton collapsed to the ground in pain after his right leg was rolled over by Tulsa safety Ashton Williams after he missed a tackle. Sexton was trying to block up field for running back Caleb Hawkins. His injury stopped the game for several minutes. He was carted off and his lower right leg was put in an air cast.
For a player that missed considerable time each of the past two seasons at Oklahoma due to injury, it was catastrophic. For the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who were counting on a healthy Sexton to get them through the early part of this season, the ramifications will be significant as OSU tries to bounce back from a 24-10 loss to the Golden Hurricane.
Jacob Sexton’s Status
After the game, Morris didn’t have a full update on Sexton’s leg but admitted it wasn’t good.
“We haven’t heard for sure, but it’s not good,” Morris said to reporters after the game, including The Oklahoman (subscription required). “It wasn’t good.”
Injuries have been an issue for Sexton for most of his college career. The redshirt senior missed nearly all the 2025 season after he suffered an injury in the opener. Back in 2024, he started the first eight games of season for the Sooners on the left side of the offensive line before suffering an injury.
This is his fifth year of college football. If Sexton is unable to play the rest of the year this could be the end of his career. The NCAA's new age-based eligibility rules eliminate redshirts except in extreme circumstances. Sexton has already used his redshirt, and players are only allowed to play five years within a five-year span.
Morris is likely to know more about Sexton’s condition on Tuesday. But assuming Sexton isn’t ready to play against Oregon, the Cowboys must figure out who starts in his place.
OSU’s Options Without Jacob Sexton
Right after Sexton’s injury, Desmond Magiya came in to play left tackle. Listed on the depth chart as a guard with Joseph Hanson on the right side, the former North Texas lineman did play 251 tackles at left tackle in 2025. He was not as effective as Sexton.
By the end of the first half, the Cowboys slid Shaun Torgeson — who was expected to share reps at right tackle with Ashton Lepo — to left tackle. Torgeson was the starter at left tackle for Portland State in 2025 and played nearly 800 snaps. Torgeson is 6-4 and 302 pounds, two inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter than Sexton. Lepo also did time at left tackle.
Morris told reporters after the game that he felt Oklahoma State had “no answer” on that side of the ball. That’s a problem and not just because of Sexton’s injury. That lack of an answer on the edge led to more pressure on quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who threw two interceptions and fumbled once under pressure.
Many expected North Texas transfer Braydon Nelson to be the starting left tackle this season. But he’s been slow to recover from a knee injury. Morris said when asked about Nelson that he hasn’t worked out with the team yet and continues to do individual drills. Morris needs him in a bad way, but if he hasn’t worked with the full team yet then it’s unlikely he’ll be ready for Oregon. Morris called it a “week-by-week” proposition and said he won’t rush Nelson back.
Morris talked during fall camp about the level of trust that he has in Nelson. He wasn’t worried about his mental reps, saying his time in the offense would allow him to settle in right away. For Nelson, it’s whether he’s physically ready to play or not. For now, he’s not.
Assuming Sexton doesn’t play, Morris’ options appear to be Torgeson, Lepo and Magiya. Ja’Qwon Evans, a true freshman, is listed as Sexton’s back-up at left tackle but he didn’t play on Saturday, per the game’s participation chart.
Another name to consider is right guard Joseph Hanson. Before he played for OSU he played nearly 600 snaps at right tackle in 2025 for Coastal Carolina also started at left tackle in 2023, but only one game. Using Hanson at right tackle might allow the Cowboys to flip either Torgeson or Lepo at left tackle.
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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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