Oklahoma State pulls ahead in fourth quarter, defeats UCF 42-28
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Oklahoma State had defeated 14 of the other 15 Big 12 teams at one point in its history.
But there was one team that was consistently a thorn in the Cowboys’ side over the past several years — the UCF Knights. UCF defeated Oklahoma State in Orlando last November on a game-winning field goal. Even the 2023 Cowboys squad that qualified for the Big 12 Championship Game couldn’t hold a candle to the Knights, falling in 45-3 fashion.
But Saturday proved to be a new era of Oklahoma State football. The Cowboys hadn’t won a Big 12 home game in 1,050 days, but that changed when the Knights made their first-ever visit to Stillwater. Oklahoma State used a 21-0 run in the second half to finally secure its first win over UCF, 42-28.
Oklahoma State’s offense entered Saturday ranked second in the country in yards per game. In order for UCF to win, turnover production was key. The Knights forced a fumble on the second snap of the game, allowing them to claim an early 7-0 lead off a short field. UCF struggled to generate consistent stops thereafter and only forced one punt the entire contest. But Oklahoma State similarly struggled to contain the Knights’ offense in the first half, leading to an old-fashioned Big 12 shootout.
Both teams notched three touchdowns in the opening half, leaving the game deadlocked at 21 apiece heading into the break. But the second half was ruled by the Cowboys.
Oklahoma State scored on each of its first three second half possessions — while the defense scored on one of UCF’s — in a game-swinging 21-0 run. The first two scores were Sam Keltner field goals, as the Knights held firm with a bend-don’t-break defense. Facing a 27-21 deficit, UCF finally unraveled in the early fourth quarter. Keyone Jenkins delivered a screen to Ric’Darious Farmer which was disrupted by Christian Bodnar. The pass landed incomplete, and Oklahoma State strong safety Evan Jackson made a heads-up play, scooping the ball and returning it for a touchdown. After review, it was ruled a backward pass, and Jackson was credit for a touchdown which put the Cowboys ahead 35-21.
Drew Mestemaker then put on the finishing touches with a touchdown delivery to Wyatt Young to keep Oklahoma State unbeaten in conference play. Mestemaker posted 304 passing yards and two touchdowns to record his fourth-straight game with at least 300 yards and multiple scores. Three Oklahoma State receivers — Justin Bowick, Miles Coleman, and Young — each surpassed 50 yards in a well-balanced receiving effort. The Cowboys had the best showing of the season against this stingy UCF defense, which only surrendered 17.6 points per game prior to Week 6.
Despite the loss, UCF’s offense enjoyed a strong performance from Jenkins, who started his fourth-straight game in place of the injured Alonza Barnett III. Jenkins completed 30-of-42 attempts for a season-high 265 yards, and he matched his career-high with four touchdown strikes. He had an especially strong rapport with Josh Derry, who snagged 11 receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown on the road.
UCF (3-3, 1-2 Big 12) now rides a two-game losing streak, and the October curse continues. The Knights fell to 1-11 in October since joining the Big 12 in 2023. That’s not the only losing streak that extended for UCF. It lost its 12th consecutive road game, last recording a win Sept. 14, 2024 at TCU.
Oklahoma State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) responded to its 18-game Big 12 losing streak with consecutive conference victories. The Cowboys are 4-0 since falling victim to a stunning Week 1 upset at Tulsa, averaging 45.3 points per game over the stretch. Next on the schedule is the greatest challenge of the Eric Morris era yet, as a road trip to Houston looms in a matchup between ranked Big 12 foes.
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