Know Thy Foe: Oklahoma State Expert Shares Insights UCF Fans Need To Know About Cowboys

For a second straight week, the UCF Knights are hitting the road for a noon kickoff game against a Top 25 opponent.

This time around, the Knights (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) are making their first-ever trip to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to take on an Oklahoma State squad that has gotten its new era under new coach Eric Morris off with a bang, going from a 1-11 finish last season to being ranked No. 18 in the nation with a 3-1 record going into Saturday's matchup.

Matthew Postins is the publisher of Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI, and he took some time this week to answer some of our questions about the Cowboys (3-1, 1-0 Big 12):

1. UCF fans know what it’s like to have a historically dismal season only for there to be a quick turnaround. What has it been like for Oklahoma State to go from 1-11 last season to No. 18 in the country going into Game #5 and what sorts of change has coach Eric Morris brought to the program that helped make that possible?

Postins: I think Oklahoma State was ripe for a different attitude. Mike Gundy had been there for 20 years and while his tenure was largely successful, those last two years were dismal and marked by his inability to change with the times (namely the transfer portal and NIL). Morris came in and immediately changed the outlook on this year’s team with the talent he brought in from the transfer portal. His first recruiting class wasn’t what he wanted, and his Class of 2027 is behind where he wants to be, but winning is helping.

Morris is very systematic in how he approaches things in terms of program building. He’s patient but willing to push. He adapts quickly, something Gundy struggled with late in his tenure. He’s brought an energy to the fan base it hasn’t had since the 2023 Big 12 championship game. He puts a premium on offense but hires the right people on defense and stays out of their way. He buys into a run game even though he runs the Air Raid. He’s only 40 years old, but he’s found his footing quickly in Stillwater.

2. UCF’s Power 4 opponents so far this season all ranked inside the Top 30 in the nation in rushing defense, and the Knights still managed to tally over 100 rushing yards against a TCU team ranked 27th. The Cowboys are 95th, only ahead of West Virginia in the Big 12. How has Oklahoma State’s defensive front held up to the eye test when facing the run and what does it need to do limit any damage that UCF’s rushers could inflict?

Postins: If you just looked at the West Virginia game, you wouldn’t think the Oklahoma State run defense is good. But quarterback Michael Hawkins and running back Cam Cook are going to burn every defense it faces. In the second half of that game, it made big plays against the run. The Cowboys did a good job of limiting Oregon on the ground, and the same with Tulsa.

This defense is perhaps one of the best fundamental tackling teams I’ve seen in a while. Their linebackers and corners do a great job wrapping up one-on-one. They don’t give up contain on the edge, so it forces runners inside. The front four does a good job occupying blockers and opening tackling lanes. The unit bends, but it doesn’t break.

I was impressed with what I saw out of UCF’s run game against Houston. But if Oklahoma State's defense plays the way it has in its three games against FBS schools, the run yards will be harder to come by.

3. Eric Morris’ Air Raid has migrated from North Texas to Stillwater and has helped Drew Mestemaker become one of the top passers in the country. However, he’s also thrown at least one interception in games against FBS opponents this season. UCF is 26th in the nation in passing efficiency defense and 11th in interceptions. What has Oklahoma State’s fanbase made of Mestemaker’s style? Is this just a side effect of passing the ball often or is it something Mestemaker is doing?

Postins: Some of it is a side effect of volume. But some of it is on him. Both of his interceptions in the Tulsa game were bad reads. The pick against West Virginia was a safety he failed to pick up underneath. His two interceptions against Oregon were batted by defensive linemen, and one was returned for a score. Throw in his two lost fumbles and he has seven turnovers in four games. He only had nine last season. Morris said it’s a point of emphasis this week.

The fan base seems to accept that there will probably be more interceptions than they would like as long as he keeps putting up the yards. Some of the struggles on third down are tied to his inefficiency.

Some of it's inefficiency on first and second down, something Morris has acknowledged. That, along with the team’s red zone struggles, is keeping the offense from reaching peak efficiency.

4. Thanks to the big plays Mestemaker can make, Oklahoma State has only 50 attempts this season on third down, the third-fewest in the Big 12. However, the Cowboys have only converted on 32% of those plays, the third-lowest in the Big 12. Is this just the product of sample size, an acceptable risk with the air raid offense or a cause for concern?

Postins: Morris is concerned. He sees that as a key metric, and the Cowboys are losing too many drives to failures to convert on third down. It’s also impacting their red zone decisions. In three games against FBS teams, the Cowboys have only six touchdowns in 17 red zone trips. He’s settled for eight field goals. Right now, that’s where the Cowboys are, he says. It’s made him more conservative as a play-caller.

Morris has emphasized piling up more yardage on first and second down to make third down more manageable. The big plays two weeks ago against West Virginia were a product of a defense that sold out to the pass in the first half, so the Cowboys ran the ball. Then the secondary was banged up, and Mestemaker picked them apart. Teams that can strike a balance between the run and the pass on defense are going to give the Cowboys some trouble.

5. What would you say is Oklahoma State’s most underlooked strength?

Postins: I’d have to say their front four, a unit that I felt was going to be a real issue for them in 2026. There are no “stars” on that unit and they rotate up to 12 defensive linemen a game. But it did a fantastic job containing Oregon quarterback Dante Moore in Week 2 and then it had four sacks and eight tackles for loss against West Virginia. The rotation keeps players fresh and defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity trusts every one of them. Plus, it’s a healthy unit.

6. Oklahoma State is 0-2 against the Knights in their previous meetings, but this is going to be their first time playing in Boone Pickens Stadium. What are three things that could be the difference between a Cowbosy win and loss?

Postins: I think Orlando is a sneaky-tough place to play. Stillwater is just tough. There’s nothing sneaky about that venue; it will be sold out, and the fans are right on top of you. The sideline is less than 20 feet from the stands. It’s the first home game since Sept. 19. It is going to be LOUD.

Oklahoma State needs a fast start offensively. It helped them against both Oregon and Murray State. The Cowboys' defense needs to limit big plays early. That helped them against Oregon. And they need to watch the turnover game. The Cowboys are still operating in the negative there for the season. Giving UCF extra chances at home isn’t a good recipe for success.

Catch up on more UCF news below:

Another UCF Knights Offensive Lineman Out Against No. 18 Oklahoma State: Injury Report Breakdown

B.T.'s Breakdown: Where it All Went Wrong For UCF Against No. 20 Houston

Can UCF Men's Basketball Get Riley Kugel Back?

Add us as a preferred source on Google