Five Takeaways From Oklahoma State’s Stunning 39-31 Win Over Oregon
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What a difference seven days can make.
Oklahoma State walked out of Tulsa last week searching for answers after a 24-10 loss that Eric Morris called the most embarrassing offensive performance he had ever been a part of.
Saturday, the Cowboys walked off their own field surrounded by thousands of celebrating fans.
Oklahoma State stunned No. 6 Oregon 39-31 at Boone Pickens Stadium, ending its 11-game losing streak while piling up 554 yards of offense and holding the Ducks to 281.
It was a dramatic transformation from the season opener and the first victory of the Morris era.
Here are five takeaways from one of Oklahoma State's biggest wins in recent memory.
1. Drew Mestemaker Finally Looked Like the NFL Draft Prospect Everyone Has Been Talking About
There has been plenty of NFL buzz surrounding Drew Mestemaker since his breakout season at North Texas.
Saturday, Oklahoma State finally saw why.
Mestemaker completed 26 of 43 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns while adding another touchdown on the ground. He consistently challenged Oregon downfield and made several throws that showcased the arm talent that has attracted NFL attention.
Morris described some of Mestemaker's throws afterward as “eye-opening.”
His afternoon wasn't perfect.
Mestemaker threw two interceptions, and both directly led to Oregon touchdowns. D'Antre Robinson returned the first 90 yards for a touchdown, while Matayo Uiagalelei returned the second to Oklahoma State's 1-yard line.
Those mistakes could have buried the Cowboys against the No. 6 team in the country.
Instead, Mestemaker kept coming.
His defining moment arrived after Oregon took a 31-30 lead in the fourth quarter. Facing pressure near the goal line, Mestemaker escaped, took off and launched himself through two Oregon defenders for a 10-yard touchdown.
“I felt like I was in the air for a year and then I hit the ground so hard,” Mestemaker said afterward. “But it felt good because I was in the end zone.”
Morris said the play showed Mestemaker's competitive nature.
After an uneven Oklahoma State debut, Mestemaker finally looked like the quarterback who generated so much attention entering the season.
2. Oklahoma State’s Discipline Was Night and Day From Tulsa
Oklahoma State repeatedly beat itself in the season opener.
Penalties, turnovers and other mistakes derailed promising possessions against Tulsa and contributed to an afternoon when the Cowboys repeatedly moved into Golden Hurricane territory without producing points.
Against Oregon, the Cowboys were almost spotless when it came to penalties.
Oklahoma State was flagged just twice all afternoon.
Even more impressive: only one was committed by a player.
Ayo Adeyi was called for a personal foul following a third-quarter run. Morris vehemently disagreed with the call, believing Oregon had committed a facemask on the play, and his continued argument with the officials resulted in Oklahoma State's second penalty.
That means outside of one emotional sequence, the Cowboys essentially played a penalty-free football game.
They needed it.
Oklahoma State was already overcoming two interceptions that resulted in 14 Oregon points. Adding drive-killing penalties and pre-snap mistakes might have been too much to overcome.
Instead, the Cowboys looked significantly more composed and disciplined than they did seven days earlier.
3. Ethan Wesloski and Tate Romney Are Becoming the Faces of the Defense
With so many newcomers on Oklahoma State's roster, it was going to take time for leaders to emerge on Skyler Cassity's defense.
Two games in, Ethan Wesloski and Tate Romney are making strong cases.
Wesloski led Oklahoma State with nine tackles Saturday, while Romney finished with seven.
But their impact went beyond the tackle column.
Both consistently found themselves around the football as Oklahoma State held an explosive Oregon offense to 281 total yards. Romney nearly intercepted Dante Moore during the fourth quarter, while Wesloski remained active throughout the afternoon.
That performance followed a season opener in which both linebackers were already among Oklahoma State's most noticeable defensive players.
The Cowboys still have plenty to establish defensively, but every unit needs players who become its identity.
Wesloski and Romney are quickly becoming those players for Oklahoma State.
4. Oklahoma State’s Pass Rush Made Dante Moore Uncomfortable
Dante Moore entered Stillwater with NFL scouts watching and plenty of momentum.
He left having endured one of the more difficult afternoons of his Oregon career.
Moore completed just 14 of 29 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns as Oklahoma State repeatedly disrupted his rhythm.
The pressure came from multiple places.
Malik Charles recorded a third-down sack in the first half. Jaleel Johnson delivered one of the biggest defensive plays of the afternoon when he brought Moore down on fourth down in the third quarter. Keviyan Huddleston added another critical sack on third down in the fourth.
And the impact went beyond the official sack total.
Moore repeatedly had to move in the pocket, throw the ball away or make quicker decisions than he wanted.
That's particularly notable considering what Moore had done against Oklahoma State before.
He threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns against the Cowboys last season and entered Saturday fresh off a 378-yard, three-touchdown performance in Oregon's opener.
The Ducks eventually hit touchdown passes of 36 and 38 yards, but Oklahoma State never allowed Moore to consistently settle in.
Against one of the most talented quarterbacks on its schedule, OSU's defensive front dictated stretches of the game.
5. Wyatt Young Has Emerged as a Key Weapon in the Passing Game
Oklahoma State might have found its big-play threat.
Wyatt Young caught five passes for a team-high 121 yards and a touchdown, averaging more than 24 yards per reception.
His biggest contribution came when the Cowboys desperately needed an answer.
Oregon had just turned Mestemaker's second interception into a touchdown, cutting Oklahoma State's advantage to 17-14 late in the first half.
Mestemaker responded by finding Young for a 52-yard touchdown to restore a 10-point lead.
Young wasn't finished.
He later hauled in a 19-yard reception during Oklahoma State's go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, helping put the Cowboys in position for Mestemaker's eventual scoring run.
Young's familiarity with Morris' offense is becoming increasingly valuable after following his coach from North Texas.
Justin Bowick remains an important part of the passing game, Caleb Hawkins gives Oklahoma State a legitimate threat out of the backfield and other receivers continue to get involved.
But Young showed Saturday that he can provide something every offense needs: explosive plays.
One week ago, Oklahoma State had almost nothing positive to build upon offensively.
Seven days later, the Cowboys had 554 yards against the No. 6 team in the country, a quarterback who looked like an NFL prospect, an emerging defensive identity and a receiving weapon who might be developing into Mestemaker's favorite big-play target.
Tulsa exposed how far Oklahoma State still had to go.
Oregon showed just how quickly things can change.
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