Drew Mestemaker's Heisman stats fuel OSU football past Murray State | 5 takeaways
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STILLWATER — From Boone Pickens Stadium, Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker took a stride toward New York.
There’s a long way to go, but if Mestemaker earns an invite to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist, his play in OSU’s 59-0 win against Murray State will be important. Mestemaker’s early “Heisman moment” was the touchdown tumble against Oregon, but his play Saturday will help him in the touchdown arms race at the end of the season.
Mestemaker completed 20 of 22 passes for 324 yards and a career-high five touchdowns against Murray State. He led OSU on six scoring drives in seven attempts. Freshman quarterback Broderick Vehrs replaced Mestemaker on the second drive of the third quarter with 11:50 remaining in the third quarter.
Mestemaker has now compiled 744 yards and eight touchdowns in his past two games.
Here are takeaways from OSU’s win:
KD Jones throws his hat in Oklahoma State backup RB race
OSU coach Eric Morris has called OSU’s backup running back competition “wide open.”
The starter, Caleb Hawkins, is cemented. Hawkins received one carry after halftime vs Murray State, finishing with 11 carries for 72 yards.
Saturday, four Cowboy running backs received carries behind Hawkins: Senior Ayo Adeyi, sophomore Tre Page III, senior William Mason and freshman KD Jones. Here’s how they fared:
Adeyi: Seven carries for 67 yards
Page III: Seven carries for 58 yards, one touchdown
Jones: Seven carries for 54 yards, one touchdown
Mason: Five carries for 46 yards
Jones is the exciting new horse in the race. The freshman from Jenks High School was the top-ranked player in OSU’s 2026 high school recruiting class, No. 4 ranked player in Oklahoma and The Oklahoman's All-State Offensive Player of the Year last fall.
Jones received his first collegiate carry with 12:47 remaining in the fourth quarter. He burrowed for a 6-yard touchdown.
Oklahoma State WR Justin Bowick arrives
Standing 6-foot-5, 209 pounds, the legend of wide receiver Justin Bowick grew throughout fall camp. His size, quick twitch and speed that got Cowboy fans excited was on full display against an FCS opponent.
Bowick’s measurables proved too much for the Racers. He led the Cowboys with nine receptions for 178 yards and two touchdowns. On a 36-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, Bowick caught a pass on a crossing route and out sprinted converging defenders to the corner of the end zone.
Bowick’s OSU career started slow in his debut at Tulsa. He caught two receptions for 22 yards and a touchdown. He played better against Oregon last week, catching five passes for 81 yards. This is the version OSU has been waiting to see.
His monster night came with OSU’s third-leading receiver this season, Chris Barnes, resting a sore shoulder. No other Cowboy caught more than three passes as Bowick was featured so heavily.
Oklahoma State defense continues momentum into Big 12 play
For as good as OSU’s offense was, the defense was just as solid. The Cowboy defense carries strong momentum into Big 12 play beginning next week in Morgantown against West Virginia.
OSU allowed just 160 total yards Saturday against Murray State.
After a seven-play, 56-yard drive on Murray State’s second offensive possession ended in a field goal block, the Cowboy defense buckled down.
OSU’s defense forced five consecutive three-and-outs to end the first half. Those five drives resulted in eight total yards. Two of the drives went for negative yardage.
The three-and-out streak stretched from late in the first quarter to midway through the third quarter.
Credit defensive tackle Luke Webb with the field block that preserved the first-half shutout. Defensive lineman Jaleel Johnson broke through the right side of the kick protection line and Webb got his left hand on the ball.
Broderick Vehrs has good night as Drew Mestemaker’s backup
In the seven drives Mestemaker led, OSU scored 38 points. That’s 5.42 points per drive.
Vehrs replaced Mestemaker on the second drive of the third quarter and led three touchdown drives, a punt and a successful time-killing drive to end the game. Removing the final drive, OSU’s offense averaged 5.25 points per drive.
Quarterback controversy? Of course not. But Vehrs, 6 for 6 passing for 37 yards and a touchdown, did enough to solidify himself as the primary backup quarterback.
Senior Grant Jordan, an Ivy League transfer from Yale, is listed as an “or” with Vehrs at backup quarterback on OSU’s depth chart, but didn’t enter the game.
Ben Hutchens covers OSU athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Ben? He can be reached at bhutchens@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @ben_hutchens_. Sign up for OSU Sports Minute newsletter to access more coverage of the Cowboys and Cowgirls. Support Ben's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Drew Mestemaker's Heisman stats fuel OSU football past Murray State | 5 takeaways
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