Know Your Foe: Eric Morris Warns Oklahoma State About Dangerous UCF Offense

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Oklahoma State is coming off a bye week, riding a three-game winning streak and ranked No. 18 nationally.

But Eric Morris isn't overlooking the Cowboys' next opponent. UCF enters Saturday's Big 12 matchup at Boone Pickens Stadium with a 3-2 record, including a 1-1 mark in conference play. Despite the Knights' two losses, Morris believes they present a much tougher challenge than their record suggests.

The Oklahoma State head coach pointed to UCF's explosive offensive weapons, mobile quarterbacks and ability to compete against ranked opponents as reasons the Cowboys must be prepared for a difficult afternoon.

“This is a quality ballclub that's coached well, and we have to come out and play our best game,” Morris said.

UCF's Offense Presents Multiple Challenges

Morris highlighted the Knights' ability to attack defenses both through the air and on the ground.

“They have a good dual-threat QB and a solid two backs,” Morris said. “Get downhill and super explosive.”

That combination presents an interesting challenge for Oklahoma State's defense, which struggled against the run in its most recent game.

West Virginia rushed for 335 yards in the Cowboys' 41-24 victory, including 193 from Cam Cook and another 102 from quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.

Despite those difficulties, Oklahoma State made adjustments in the second half, holding the Mountaineers to just three points after falling behind 21-13 early in the third quarter.

Now the Cowboys face another opponent capable of creating problems with its rushing attack. For Morris, the defensive priority is straightforward.

“Starts with stopping the run and earning the right to defend the pass,” Morris said.

Morris Has History Against Keyone Jenkins

Oklahoma State's head coach has firsthand experience facing UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins.

Jenkins previously played at Florida International before transferring to UCF, and Morris remembers preparing for him while coaching at North Texas.

“I've seen Jenkins play firsthand when I was at UNT,” Morris said. “He was the QB at Florida International. Had a great day against us, and we'll have to keep him contained.”

Jenkins has stepped into a larger role with Alonza Barnett III sidelined by a hamstring injury.

Barnett, a former James Madison standout, brought College Football Playoff experience to UCF after transferring during the offseason.

UCF coach Scott Frost indicated earlier this week that Barnett was unlikely to return against Oklahoma State.

That makes containing Jenkins a priority for the Cowboys, particularly after West Virginia quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. caused problems with his mobility in OSU's previous game.

Potential Reinforcement at Receiver

UCF could also receive a boost to its passing attack. Morris indicated that one of the Knights' top receivers, Duane Thomas Jr. has yet to play this season with an undisclosed injury but could return against Oklahoma State.

“Their best receiver hasn't played this year yet with a chance to come back this week,” Morris said.

The Cowboys have shown they can contain dangerous offenses, most notably when they held then-No. 6 Oregon to 281 total yards in their 39-31 upset victory.

But the combination of UCF's rushing attack and potential receiving reinforcements could test Oklahoma State's defensive consistency.

UCF Has Been Closer Than Its Record Suggests

Morris believes UCF has been closer to breaking through against quality competition than its two losses indicate.

The Knights showed their offensive potential against Houston last Saturday, jumping out to a 17-0 lead before the Cougars rallied for a 27-17 victory.

Despite the disappointing finish, Morris believes UCF's ability to build that advantage against a ranked opponent demonstrates its potential.

“They've lost close ones to a couple Top 25 teams,” Morris said.

He specifically mentioned the Knights' matchup against Pittsburgh, noting that poor weather conditions made throwing the football difficult.

Those performances have convinced him that the Knights are capable of challenging Oklahoma State despite their setbacks.

Oklahoma State's Bye-Week Reset

While UCF was battling Houston, Oklahoma State had an opportunity to recover and prepare for the next stretch of its season.

Morris said the Cowboys practiced Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday during their bye week before taking time to rest over the weekend.

“It was really important for us to get some rest over the weekend, but a hard reset because we got a really good UCF team coming in,” Morris said.

That reset comes at an important time. After losing its season opener to Tulsa, Oklahoma State responded with consecutive victories over Oregon, Murray State and West Virginia.

The Cowboys have developed one of the nation's most productive offenses behind quarterback Drew Mestemaker, while the defense has shown flashes of its potential under coordinator Skyler Cassity.

But Saturday represents another opportunity to prove Oklahoma State can sustain its momentum against Big 12 competition.

And Morris has made his message clear. The Knights have enough offensive weapons to make Saturday uncomfortable if Oklahoma State fails to execute.

Stop the run, contain the quarterbacks and avoid letting UCF's explosive playmakers take over the game.

That's the challenge awaiting the Cowboys in their return to Boone Pickens Stadium.

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