Drew Mestemaker silences critics as he outduels Dante Moore, leads Oklahoma State to stunning win over Oregon

Drew Mestemaker silences critics as he outduels Dante Moore, leads Oklahoma State to stunning win over Oregon

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Drew Mestemaker silences critics as he outduels Dante Moore, leads Oklahoma State to stunning win over Oregon

Drew Mestemaker silences critics as he outduels Dante Moore, leads Oklahoma State to stunning win over Oregon originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

STILLWATER, Okla. — A week ago, impatient Oklahoma State fans were done with Drew Mestemaker just one game into his career with the Cowboys.

The transfer quarterback from North Texas struggled at times in an upset loss to Tulsa, abruptly ending the warm welcome he initially received.

He won the doubters over with a gritty performance that led to a 39-31 win over Oregon on Saturday afternoon. It was former North Texas coach Eric Morris' first victory at Oklahoma State, and it ended the program's 12-game losing streak.

Many of those same doubters were on the field dancing after time expired.

With a gaggle of NFL scouts watching in the press box, Mestemaker passed for 317 yards and ran for 109.

Mestemaker outplayed Oregon's Dante Moore, who is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2027 NFL Draft. Moore completed just 14 of 29 passes or 191 yards.

What a difference a year makes. Last season, Oregon coach Dan Lanning had a lot to say as Oregon rolled past Oklahoma State 69-3 — one of the final straws that led to coach Mike Gundy's firing after two decades in Stillwater. 

"It never requires extra motivation for an opportunity to go out and kick ass," Lanning said after last year's game, "but it never hurts when somebody pours gasoline on the fire."

The Cowboys appeared ready to get dominated again. They offered no indication in the season-opening 24-10 loss to Tulsa that they would be ready for the No. 6 team in the AP Top 25.

On Saturday, the Cowboys looked like the team fans hoped for when Morris brought so many of his players up from North Texas.

Mestemaker set the tone with a 75-yard run on Oklahoma State's first play from scrimmage, a surprise for a player who had not been known as a runner.

Oklahoma State dominated the first half, outgaining the Ducks 353 yards to 101. But the Cowboys only led 24-14 because Oregon had two critical interceptions against Mestemaker.

The first was Devon Jackson's 96-yard interception return for a touchdown after a tipped pass. In the second quarter, Matayo Uiagalelei intercepted Mestemaker at the Oklahoma State 12 and returned it to the 1. Jordon Davison's 1-yard touchdown run on the next play cut Oklahoma State's lead to 17-14.

Mestemaker came right back and threw a 52-yard touchdown strike to Wyatt Young to put the Cowboys up 24-14 at halftime.

Moore finally looked like his usual self when he connected with Dakorien Moore for a 36-yard touchdown that trimmed Oklahoma State's edge to 27-24 in the third.

Dante Moore's 38-yard touchdown pass to Evan Stewart and the extra point nine seconds into the fourth quarter gave Oregon a 31-30 lead.

More: Tulsa 24, Oklahoma State 10

Mestemaker's gutsy, acrobatic leap into the end zone that caused him to flip and come up gingerly completed a 10-yard touchdown run that put the Cowboys up 36-31 with 10:21 remaining.

Mestemaker stayed in the game and finished it out. His critical third-down conversion run with just under two minutes remaining put the Cowboys in control.

@Big12Conferencepic.twitter.com/SnnD9Qc7FH

More College Football news:

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos