Oklahoma State beats sixth-ranked Oregon 39-31 to snap 21-game FBS losing streak

The upset in Stillwater

Oklahoma State entered Saturday as an underdog by 23.5 points following a 24-10 road loss at Tulsa in its season opener. The Cowboys had dropped 21 consecutive games against Football Bowl Subdivision programs and 12 straight games overall across two seasons, including a 69-3 loss against Oregon in 2025. The 39-31 victory against sixth-ranked Oregon was the first win for head coach Eric Morris at Oklahoma State following a 1-11 campaign last year. Delirious fans in Stillwater poured onto the field at Boone Pickens Stadium following the final whistle after enduring a weather delay.

“I don't know if I can top this. I'm not going to retire, but I might think about it tonight.”

Mestemaker leads the offense

Cowboys quarterback Drew Mestemaker led the offense by completing 26 of 43 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns. Mestemaker, who followed Morris from North Texas, gained 75 yards on a rush during the Cowboys' first offensive snap and finished with 109 rushing yards. Running back Caleb Hawkins added 110 rushing yards and one touchdown on 23 carries as Oklahoma State generated 554 yards of total offense. Mestemaker overcame two interceptions off tipped passes that Oregon converted into 14 points, eventually scoring a 10-yard touchdown run and sealing the win with a seven-yard rush with 1:33 remaining.

“This is the best moment of my life, honestly. Not even close.”

Oregon offensive struggles

Oregon entered the contest ranked sixth in the Associated Press poll after a season-opening home win over Boise State. The Ducks took an early 7-3 lead when Devon Jackson returned an interception 96 yards for a touchdown, but the offense struggled under coordinator Drew Mehringer. Quarterback Dante Moore completed 14 of 29 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns after starting 5 of 15 for 45 yards in the first half. Oregon rallied to take a 31-30 lead early in the fourth quarter on a 38-yard touchdown pass to Evan Stewart, but failed to score again as Moore was sacked four times. Running back Dierre Hill Jr. lost a fumble with 1:55 left in the fourth quarter, extinguishing Oregon's final chance to tie the game.

Oklahoma State554

Oregon281

Oklahoma State

554 yards

Oregon

281 yards

Data from the article text

National impact on both programs

The defeat snapped Oregon's 12-game road winning streak and marked Dan Lanning's first career loss to an unranked program. Lanning's prior five collegiate losses at Oregon had all come against teams that played for or won the national championship. The matchup also drew 20 NFL scouts, two general managers and one president of football operations to evaluate both quarterbacks. For Oklahoma State, the victory was the program's first since an August 28, 2025 win against UT-Martin, marking the first time in Associated Press poll history that a team with a losing streak of 10 or more games defeated a top-10 opponent.

“Everybody counted them out, told them how bad they were. Told them how bad they were. Proud of those kids.”