Oklahoma State University Athletics
Saturday, October 24
Stillwater, OK | America's Greatest Homecoming
6 p.m. CT
Oklahoma State University
vs
Colorado
Oklahoma State hosts Colorado for 105th Homecoming game
October 20, 2026 | Cowboy Football
Complete notes available here
The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (4-2 overall; 2-1 Big 12) returns to Stillwater this week to host Colorado (2-4 overall; 0-3 Big 12) Saturday in the 105th edition of America's Greatest Homecoming™. It is Colorado's first trip to Stillwater since 2009, and the last time the Buffaloes came for Homecoming was in 2001. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Boone Pickens Stadium.
Sold Out!
Saturday's game is sold out, as is the following home game against Texas Tech. The November 28 game against Kansas is the only home game left on this year's schedule that is not yet sold out, and a limited number of tickets remain for that contest. Tickets are available at www.okstate.com/tickets or by contacting the ticket office at 877-255-4678. Fans can still secure their tickets to sold out games through SeatGeek, the official secondary partner of OSU Athletics.
On the Air
The game will be televised live on FS1 with Carlo Jiménez and Robert Smith on the call. It will also be carried live on the Cowboy Radio Network, with Dave Hunziker handling play-by-play, John Holcomb providing analysis and Deion Imade reporting from the sideline. Fans outside of the Cowboy Radio Network can listen to the OSU broadcast for free through The Varsity Network app.
Noting the Cowboys in Homecoming Games
Oklahoma State is 58-40-6 in Homecoming games. The Cowboys have won seven of their past 10 and 13 of their past 18 on Homecoming.
America's Greatest Homecoming
Homecoming is a BIG deal at Oklahoma State and is referred to as "America's Greatest Homecoming™." This year marks the 105th time that Oklahoma State has hosted its nationally recognized Homecoming celebration. The first Homecoming was hosted in 1920 by the OSU Alumni Association and it has been held every year since then except for 1943 (canceled due to World War II) and 2020 (canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Friday's night's "Walkaround" is Homecoming's most famous and highly attended event, but the week is full of daily events to commemorate the occasion, including Sunday's dyeing of the Edmon Low Library fountain, Tuesday's Harvest Carnival & Chili Cook-Off, Wednesday's Hester Street Painting, Friday night's Walkaround and Saturday morning's Sea of Orange Parade down Main Street. College Football Hall of Famer and Cowboy Football Ring of Honor member Terry Miller has been selected by the OSU Alumni Association as the grand marshal for the 2026 edition of America's Greatest Homecoming™. As grand marshal, Miller will take part in several Homecoming events during the week, including the Homecoming Pep Rally and Saturday morning's Sea of Orange Parade. For a full list of activities, visit the OSU Alumni Association website, www.orangeconnection.org/homecoming.
Five Straight Games Above 30 Points
The Cowboys have scored more than 30 points in five consecutive games for the first time since an eight-game streak during the 2021-22 seasons. If they reach nine, it would tie OSU's single-season streak record set in the final nine games of the 2011 season. It would also mark the longest stretch overall for OSU since the school-record 13-game run across the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The only other double-digit streak was a 10-game stretch from 1987-88.
The Most Improved Teams in Program History
The Cowboys are already one of the 25 most improved teams in Oklahoma State history when it comes to win totals. Here are the best teams in terms of improved win totals from the year prior:
The Series
Saturday's game marks the 49th game between Oklahoma State and Colorado in a series that dates to 1920. The teams met in 38 consecutive seasons from 1960 through 1997 as members of the Big Eight and Big 12. This year's matchup marks Colorado's first visit to Stillwater since 2009. Colorado leads the all-time series 27-20-1, but Oklahoma State has won three of the past four meetings. The Buffaloes also lead the series in Stillwater, 12-11-1, with the Cowboys winning the last game in Boone Pickens Stadium, 31-28, in 2009. Eric Morris has never faced CU as a head coach and Colorado's Deion Sanders is 1-0 in his head coaching career against OSU.
In the Rankings
The Oklahoma State football team is just outside of the polls this week, coming in at the equivalent of No. 26 in the AP Top 25 and No. 27 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. With the exception of last year, the Cowboys have been ranked at some point in every season since 2008. Including the 2026 season, Oklahoma State has been ranked in the top 15 of the Associated Press poll in 15 of the past 19 seasons and has reached the top 10 in 11 of those 19 years. Although the first College Football Playoff rankings won't be released until November, it's worth noting that OSU has been part of the CFP rankings in eight of the past 11 seasons entering 2026. The Cowboys have also been included in 43 of the all-time CFP Rankings, which ranks among the most appearances in the country. Colorado is not ranked.
91 Newcomers Mark the Most in College Football History
The 2026 Oklahoma State roster features 91 newcomers, which is strongly believed to be the most on one team in the history of major college football, breaking the mark of 87 set by Colorado in 2023. Newcomers make up 79% of the 115-man roster. The team includes 66 new transfers, 24 returning players, 13 returning letterwinners, five players who had at least four OSU starts last season and 18 total players who had played in a game for Oklahoma State prior to 2026. The transfers arrived with a combined total of 45,088 total snaps of Division I experience.
Oklahoma State from a Distance
After not winning a conference game in 2024 or 2025, Oklahoma State essentially pushed the reset button for the 2026 season. OSU brought in head coach Eric Morris to take the reins of the Cowboy program, and he then brought in more than 40 new staff members and 91 new players to build a fresh foundation for the future. The 91 newcomers are strongly believed to be the most on one team in the history of major college football, surpassing Colorado's 87 in 2023. They came with experience, too, as the Cowboys added more than 45,000 Division I snaps of experience to bring their team total to nearly 55,000. It didn't take long for the new group to make a big impact - in game two Oklahoma State became the first team in college football history to end a double-digit losing streak against an AP top-10 team. OSU's win over No. 6 Oregon earned a long list of accolades, including OSU being named the FWAA's Pop-Tarts Bowl Crazy Good Team of the Week and many national honors for quarterback Drew Mestemaker. The Cowboys who entered the AP poll for the first time in two years after the West Virginia win, have continued their momentum and have won four of their past five games. OSU ranks No. 4 in passing offense, No. 5 in total offense, No. 10 in tackles for loss allowed, No. 10 in sacks allowed No. 15 in fewest penalties and No. 17 in red zone defense. The Cowboys also boast the only trio in the FBS to rank among the FBS top 20 in passing, rushing and receiving yards per game in Drew Mestemaker, Caleb Hawkins and Wyatt Young.
The Eric Morris Era is Underway
Eric Morris is in his inaugural season as Oklahoma State's head coach in 2026. He was named the 25th head coach in program history on November 25, 2025. An elite offensive mind and talent developer, Morris had been the head coach at North Texas since 2023. His hire marked the first time since 1969 that Oklahoma State hired a sitting head coach and the first time in school history OSU hired a sitting head coach from a school that is in the FBS. In three seasons at UNT, Morris built the Mean Green from a 5-7 record in his first season to a team that won 12 games in year three and reached a conference championship game with a College Football Playoff berth on the line. Those three seasons produced three of the top four seasons for total offense per game in North Texas history.
A Top-10 Transfer Portal Class
Of those 91 newcomers, 66 are new transfers (57% of the team). That group makes up a transfer portal class that ranks No. 7 in the nation according to both The Athletic and 247Sports.
The Only FBS Team with a Top-20 Passer, Rusher and Receiver
The Cowboys have the only trio in the FBS that ranks among the FBS top 20 in passing, rushing and receiving yards per game in Drew Mestemaker, Caleb Hawkins and Wyatt Young.
An Oklahoma State Win Would ...
• Give it four straight home wins for the first time since a seven-game streak from 2023-24.
• Give it four straight home wins to open a season for the first time since it won six in 2022.
• Improve it to 5-2 or better for the first time since 2023.
• Improve it to 59-40-6 in Homecoming games, with wins in eight of its past 11 Homecoming games.
• Give it four more wins than last season, matching the third-best improvement in school history.
• Improve Eric Morris to 5-2 as Oklahoma State's head coach.
• Improve Eric Morris to 4-0 in home games as OSU's head coach.
• Improve Eric Morris to 51-36 in his head coaching career.
• Improve Eric Morris to 36-23 in conference games.
• Improve Eric Morris to 3-1 in Big 12 conference games.
• Improve Eric Morris to 1-0 against Colorado.
• Improve its all-time record against Colorado to 21-27-1.
• Give it wins in four of its past five games against Colorado, including two straight in Stillwater.
• Improve its all-time record at home against Colorado to 12-12-1.
• Mark its 139th win since the beginning of the 2010 season, ranking among the top 15 in the FBS.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• Oklahoma State has scored more than 30 points in five consecutive games for the first time since an eight-game streak during the 2021-22 seasons. OSU's single-season streak record of nine was set in the final nine games of the 2011 season.
• Drew Mestemaker has passed for at least 300 yards in five-straight games, matching the second longest streak in OSU history and the longest since Mason Rudolph had streaks of seven and five from 2016-2017.
• Mestemaker has passed for at least 200 yards in 21-straight games - the longest active streak in the FBS. He's passed for at least 250 yards in 10 of his past 11 games.
• Mestemaker has thrown at least one touchdown in 20 of his past 21 games.
• Dating back to 2008, OSU is 84-14 when winning the turnover battle.
• Dating back to 2005, OSU is 50-7 when not committing a turnover.
• OSU has won 88 of its past 91 games when holding its opponent to fewer than 20 points, dating back to Sept. 13, 2003. Including games when opponents have scored 20 points or fewer, OSU has won 96 of its past 100.
• OSU is 41-24 in its past 65 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 54-10 in its past 64 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• OSU has won five of its past seven overtime games.
• Caleb Hawkins has scored multiple touchdowns in six of his past 13 games. He's scored at least three touchdowns in five of his past 12.
• Hawkins has rushed for at least 100 yards in six of his past 12 games.
• Wyatt Young has had more than 100 receiving yards in seven of his past 14 games.
• Israel Polk has at least one catch in 25 of his past 28 games played.
• Miles Coleman has at least one catch in each of his past 25 games played.
• Wyatt Young has at least one catch in each of his past 21 games played.
• Caleb Hawkins has at least one catch in 18 of his past 19 games played.
• Chris Barnes has at least one catch 16 of his past 17 games played.
• Ethan Wesloski has made at least one tackle in 45 consecutive games, including every game he's played since the beginning of the 2023 season. He's had at least three tackles in 17 straight games.
• Jack Puckett has made at least one tackle in 35 of the 40 games of his career and at least three tackles in 30 games. He played at the Div. II level until 2026.
• Isaiah Chisom has made at least two tackles in 32 straight games.
• Quinton Hammonds has made at least two tackles in 17 straight games.
• Jaleel Johnson has made at least two tackles in 13 of his past 15 games.
• Christian Bodnar has made at least three tackles in nine of his past 12 games.
The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (4-2 overall; 2-1 Big 12) returns to Stillwater this week to host Colorado (2-4 overall; 0-3 Big 12) Saturday in the 105th edition of America's Greatest Homecoming™. It is Colorado's first trip to Stillwater since 2009, and the last time the Buffaloes came for Homecoming was in 2001. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Boone Pickens Stadium.
Sold Out!
Saturday's game is sold out, as is the following home game against Texas Tech. The November 28 game against Kansas is the only home game left on this year's schedule that is not yet sold out, and a limited number of tickets remain for that contest. Tickets are available at www.okstate.com/tickets or by contacting the ticket office at 877-255-4678. Fans can still secure their tickets to sold out games through SeatGeek, the official secondary partner of OSU Athletics.
On the Air
The game will be televised live on FS1 with Carlo Jiménez and Robert Smith on the call. It will also be carried live on the Cowboy Radio Network, with Dave Hunziker handling play-by-play, John Holcomb providing analysis and Deion Imade reporting from the sideline. Fans outside of the Cowboy Radio Network can listen to the OSU broadcast for free through The Varsity Network app.
Noting the Cowboys in Homecoming Games
Oklahoma State is 58-40-6 in Homecoming games. The Cowboys have won seven of their past 10 and 13 of their past 18 on Homecoming.
America's Greatest Homecoming
Homecoming is a BIG deal at Oklahoma State and is referred to as "America's Greatest Homecoming™." This year marks the 105th time that Oklahoma State has hosted its nationally recognized Homecoming celebration. The first Homecoming was hosted in 1920 by the OSU Alumni Association and it has been held every year since then except for 1943 (canceled due to World War II) and 2020 (canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Friday's night's "Walkaround" is Homecoming's most famous and highly attended event, but the week is full of daily events to commemorate the occasion, including Sunday's dyeing of the Edmon Low Library fountain, Tuesday's Harvest Carnival & Chili Cook-Off, Wednesday's Hester Street Painting, Friday night's Walkaround and Saturday morning's Sea of Orange Parade down Main Street. College Football Hall of Famer and Cowboy Football Ring of Honor member Terry Miller has been selected by the OSU Alumni Association as the grand marshal for the 2026 edition of America's Greatest Homecoming™. As grand marshal, Miller will take part in several Homecoming events during the week, including the Homecoming Pep Rally and Saturday morning's Sea of Orange Parade. For a full list of activities, visit the OSU Alumni Association website, www.orangeconnection.org/homecoming.
Five Straight Games Above 30 Points
The Cowboys have scored more than 30 points in five consecutive games for the first time since an eight-game streak during the 2021-22 seasons. If they reach nine, it would tie OSU's single-season streak record set in the final nine games of the 2011 season. It would also mark the longest stretch overall for OSU since the school-record 13-game run across the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The only other double-digit streak was a 10-game stretch from 1987-88.
The Most Improved Teams in Program History
The Cowboys are already one of the 25 most improved teams in Oklahoma State history when it comes to win totals. Here are the best teams in terms of improved win totals from the year prior:
| Rk | Win+/- | Seasons | Most Recent | Record | Years |
| 1. | +5 | 2 | 1944 | 8-1 | 1944, 1921 |
| 3. | +4 | 8 | 2021 | 12-2 | 2021, 2002, 1992, 1987, 1983, 1979, 1953, 1924 |
| 11. | +3 | 15 | 2026* | 4-2* | 2026*, 2023, 2015, 2006, 1997, 1981, 1972, 1964, 1957, |
| *in progress | 1948, 1939, 1937, 1930, 1929, 1908 |
The Series
Saturday's game marks the 49th game between Oklahoma State and Colorado in a series that dates to 1920. The teams met in 38 consecutive seasons from 1960 through 1997 as members of the Big Eight and Big 12. This year's matchup marks Colorado's first visit to Stillwater since 2009. Colorado leads the all-time series 27-20-1, but Oklahoma State has won three of the past four meetings. The Buffaloes also lead the series in Stillwater, 12-11-1, with the Cowboys winning the last game in Boone Pickens Stadium, 31-28, in 2009. Eric Morris has never faced CU as a head coach and Colorado's Deion Sanders is 1-0 in his head coaching career against OSU.
In the Rankings
The Oklahoma State football team is just outside of the polls this week, coming in at the equivalent of No. 26 in the AP Top 25 and No. 27 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. With the exception of last year, the Cowboys have been ranked at some point in every season since 2008. Including the 2026 season, Oklahoma State has been ranked in the top 15 of the Associated Press poll in 15 of the past 19 seasons and has reached the top 10 in 11 of those 19 years. Although the first College Football Playoff rankings won't be released until November, it's worth noting that OSU has been part of the CFP rankings in eight of the past 11 seasons entering 2026. The Cowboys have also been included in 43 of the all-time CFP Rankings, which ranks among the most appearances in the country. Colorado is not ranked.
91 Newcomers Mark the Most in College Football History
The 2026 Oklahoma State roster features 91 newcomers, which is strongly believed to be the most on one team in the history of major college football, breaking the mark of 87 set by Colorado in 2023. Newcomers make up 79% of the 115-man roster. The team includes 66 new transfers, 24 returning players, 13 returning letterwinners, five players who had at least four OSU starts last season and 18 total players who had played in a game for Oklahoma State prior to 2026. The transfers arrived with a combined total of 45,088 total snaps of Division I experience.
Oklahoma State from a Distance
After not winning a conference game in 2024 or 2025, Oklahoma State essentially pushed the reset button for the 2026 season. OSU brought in head coach Eric Morris to take the reins of the Cowboy program, and he then brought in more than 40 new staff members and 91 new players to build a fresh foundation for the future. The 91 newcomers are strongly believed to be the most on one team in the history of major college football, surpassing Colorado's 87 in 2023. They came with experience, too, as the Cowboys added more than 45,000 Division I snaps of experience to bring their team total to nearly 55,000. It didn't take long for the new group to make a big impact - in game two Oklahoma State became the first team in college football history to end a double-digit losing streak against an AP top-10 team. OSU's win over No. 6 Oregon earned a long list of accolades, including OSU being named the FWAA's Pop-Tarts Bowl Crazy Good Team of the Week and many national honors for quarterback Drew Mestemaker. The Cowboys who entered the AP poll for the first time in two years after the West Virginia win, have continued their momentum and have won four of their past five games. OSU ranks No. 4 in passing offense, No. 5 in total offense, No. 10 in tackles for loss allowed, No. 10 in sacks allowed No. 15 in fewest penalties and No. 17 in red zone defense. The Cowboys also boast the only trio in the FBS to rank among the FBS top 20 in passing, rushing and receiving yards per game in Drew Mestemaker, Caleb Hawkins and Wyatt Young.
The Eric Morris Era is Underway
Eric Morris is in his inaugural season as Oklahoma State's head coach in 2026. He was named the 25th head coach in program history on November 25, 2025. An elite offensive mind and talent developer, Morris had been the head coach at North Texas since 2023. His hire marked the first time since 1969 that Oklahoma State hired a sitting head coach and the first time in school history OSU hired a sitting head coach from a school that is in the FBS. In three seasons at UNT, Morris built the Mean Green from a 5-7 record in his first season to a team that won 12 games in year three and reached a conference championship game with a College Football Playoff berth on the line. Those three seasons produced three of the top four seasons for total offense per game in North Texas history.
A Top-10 Transfer Portal Class
Of those 91 newcomers, 66 are new transfers (57% of the team). That group makes up a transfer portal class that ranks No. 7 in the nation according to both The Athletic and 247Sports.
The Only FBS Team with a Top-20 Passer, Rusher and Receiver
The Cowboys have the only trio in the FBS that ranks among the FBS top 20 in passing, rushing and receiving yards per game in Drew Mestemaker, Caleb Hawkins and Wyatt Young.
| Player | Stat | Value | FBS Rank |
| Drew Mestemaker | Passing Yards Per Game | 323.3 | 2 |
| Caleb Hawkins | Rushing Yards Per Game | 98.7 | 18 |
| Wyatt Young | Receiving Yards Per Game | 93.5 | 13 |
An Oklahoma State Win Would ...
• Give it four straight home wins for the first time since a seven-game streak from 2023-24.
• Give it four straight home wins to open a season for the first time since it won six in 2022.
• Improve it to 5-2 or better for the first time since 2023.
• Improve it to 59-40-6 in Homecoming games, with wins in eight of its past 11 Homecoming games.
• Give it four more wins than last season, matching the third-best improvement in school history.
• Improve Eric Morris to 5-2 as Oklahoma State's head coach.
• Improve Eric Morris to 4-0 in home games as OSU's head coach.
• Improve Eric Morris to 51-36 in his head coaching career.
• Improve Eric Morris to 36-23 in conference games.
• Improve Eric Morris to 3-1 in Big 12 conference games.
• Improve Eric Morris to 1-0 against Colorado.
• Improve its all-time record against Colorado to 21-27-1.
• Give it wins in four of its past five games against Colorado, including two straight in Stillwater.
• Improve its all-time record at home against Colorado to 12-12-1.
• Mark its 139th win since the beginning of the 2010 season, ranking among the top 15 in the FBS.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• Oklahoma State has scored more than 30 points in five consecutive games for the first time since an eight-game streak during the 2021-22 seasons. OSU's single-season streak record of nine was set in the final nine games of the 2011 season.
• Drew Mestemaker has passed for at least 300 yards in five-straight games, matching the second longest streak in OSU history and the longest since Mason Rudolph had streaks of seven and five from 2016-2017.
• Mestemaker has passed for at least 200 yards in 21-straight games - the longest active streak in the FBS. He's passed for at least 250 yards in 10 of his past 11 games.
• Mestemaker has thrown at least one touchdown in 20 of his past 21 games.
• Dating back to 2008, OSU is 84-14 when winning the turnover battle.
• Dating back to 2005, OSU is 50-7 when not committing a turnover.
• OSU has won 88 of its past 91 games when holding its opponent to fewer than 20 points, dating back to Sept. 13, 2003. Including games when opponents have scored 20 points or fewer, OSU has won 96 of its past 100.
• OSU is 41-24 in its past 65 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 54-10 in its past 64 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• OSU has won five of its past seven overtime games.
• Caleb Hawkins has scored multiple touchdowns in six of his past 13 games. He's scored at least three touchdowns in five of his past 12.
• Hawkins has rushed for at least 100 yards in six of his past 12 games.
• Wyatt Young has had more than 100 receiving yards in seven of his past 14 games.
• Israel Polk has at least one catch in 25 of his past 28 games played.
• Miles Coleman has at least one catch in each of his past 25 games played.
• Wyatt Young has at least one catch in each of his past 21 games played.
• Caleb Hawkins has at least one catch in 18 of his past 19 games played.
• Chris Barnes has at least one catch 16 of his past 17 games played.
• Ethan Wesloski has made at least one tackle in 45 consecutive games, including every game he's played since the beginning of the 2023 season. He's had at least three tackles in 17 straight games.
• Jack Puckett has made at least one tackle in 35 of the 40 games of his career and at least three tackles in 30 games. He played at the Div. II level until 2026.
• Isaiah Chisom has made at least two tackles in 32 straight games.
• Quinton Hammonds has made at least two tackles in 17 straight games.
• Jaleel Johnson has made at least two tackles in 13 of his past 15 games.
• Christian Bodnar has made at least three tackles in nine of his past 12 games.
Players Mentioned
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/ Cowboy FootballTuesday, October 20
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Thursday, October 15
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