Five Takeaways From Oklahoma State’s Win Over West Virginia

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Oklahoma State finally ended the streak.

The Cowboys rallied from an 11-point deficit Saturday night to beat West Virginia 41-24, snapping an 18-game Big 12 losing streak and giving Eric Morris his first conference victory at Oklahoma State.

OSU piled up 609 yards, scored 28 of the final 31 points and left Morgantown with its third consecutive victory. But the performance also revealed areas the Cowboys still need to clean up.

Here are five takeaways.

1. Ethan Wesloski and Tate Romney Are Establishing Themselves as All-Big 12-Level Linebackers

Oklahoma State's new-look defense continues to produce breakout players, and Ethan Wesloski and Tate Romney are quickly becoming two of its most important.

Wesloski was everywhere against West Virginia, finishing with a game-high 16 tackles and half a sack. Romney wasn't far behind with 12 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

Their impact became particularly noticeable once West Virginia fell behind and was forced away from its preferred ground-heavy approach. Romney recorded a fourth-quarter sack, while both linebackers consistently showed up around the football.

Neither performance should be viewed in isolation anymore. Through four games, Wesloski and Romney have established themselves as central pieces of Skyler Cassity's defense. If that production continues into the heart of conference play, both will have legitimate cases for All-Big 12 recognition by season's end.

2. Oklahoma State's Special Teams Stay Special

Sam Keltner didn't get the headlines Drew Mestemaker, Caleb Hawkins and Wyatt Young received, but his reliability mattered.

Keltner went 4-for-4 on field goals, connecting from 30, 19, 29 and 47 yards.

The first two were especially important because Oklahoma State repeatedly moved the football in the first half without finishing drives in the end zone. Instead of coming away empty, Keltner kept the Cowboys within striking distance.

His final kick from 47 yards pushed OSU's advantage to 41-24 and effectively finished the night.

Special teams have consistently provided OSU with important plays this season, and Saturday was another example. When the Cowboys needed points from stalled drives, Keltner delivered every time.

3. Wyatt Young Finally Had His Breakout Game

It felt like this performance was coming. Young had already flashed his big-play ability, including a 121-yard performance against Oregon, but Saturday was his true breakout.

The sophomore caught eight passes for 192 yards and a touchdown, repeatedly torching West Virginia downfield.

His second half was particularly explosive. Young had receptions of 50, 48 and 48 yards, then capped his night with a 6-yard touchdown catch that stretched OSU's lead to 38-24.

The 192 yards were the most by an Oklahoma State receiver since Dillon Stoner in 2021.

Justin Bowick has already emerged as a major weapon. Miles Coleman continues creating plays. Chris Barnes returned Saturday and immediately produced explosive gains.

Now Young has shown he can completely take over a game. That's exactly what makes this receiving corps so difficult to defend.

4. The Cowboys Proved They Can Win on the Road

Beating Oregon at Boone Pickens Stadium was one thing. Going into Morgantown for a Saturday night conference game was an entirely different test.

Oklahoma State passed it. The Cowboys didn't just deal with their first Big 12 road environment under Morris. They had to overcome adversity within it.

OSU fell behind 14-3, entered halftime trailing and then watched West Virginia immediately extend the advantage to 21-13 following Mestemaker's third-quarter interception.

The Cowboys could have unraveled. Instead, they responded by scoring 28 of the game's final 31 points.

For a roster rebuilt almost entirely during the offseason, that's significant. This group has now shown it can beat a highly ranked opponent at home and respond to an early deficit in a hostile conference environment.

The Cowboys aren't simply 1-0 in the Big 12. They've proven they can take their new identity away from Stillwater.

5. The Win Didn't Hide Oklahoma State's Weaknesses

A 41-24 road victory shouldn't obscure what went wrong.

Start with the run defense. West Virginia's Cam Cook rushed 29 times for 193 yards, including a 75-yard run. Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. added 102 rushing yards and three touchdowns. That's nearly 300 rushing yards between two players.

The Cowboys eventually adjusted and kept West Virginia out of the end zone after falling behind 21-13, but better Big 12 opponents will punish that type of run defense.

Then there were the penalties. OSU committed nine for 89 yards, including multiple mistakes that directly affected drives. A first-half false start turned a fourth-and-2 attempt into a punt, while another false start near the goal line contributed to the Cowboys settling for a field goal.

And Mestemaker's turnovers remain worth watching. His third-quarter interception came immediately after a 52-yard completion to Barnes had OSU threatening to take the lead. West Virginia responded with a touchdown to make it 21-13.

Mestemaker ultimately responded brilliantly and finished with 389 yards and three touchdowns, but after throwing two interceptions against Oregon and losing a fumble against Murray State, protecting the football remains part of his development.

Those flaws didn't cost Oklahoma State on Saturday. Eventually, against the wrong opponent, they could.

That's what makes the result encouraging while leaving Morris and his staff plenty to correct.

Oklahoma State ended its 18-game Big 12 losing streak, won on the road and improved to 3-1.

Now the challenge becomes building on it rather than treating Saturday night as the destination.

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