Oklahoma State Must Block Out Noise Ahead of Oregon Matchup

Oklahoma State enters its next game as a heavy underdog, but it must block out the noise.

The Cowboys began their 2025 season by beating UT Martin 27-7 on Thursday, marking the team’s first win in nearly 12 months. Last season, the Cowboys won only three games and finished the year on a nine-game losing streak, making a good start to 2025 critical.

Of course, the Pokes were almost certainly going to get a double-digit win against the Skyhawks, but it wasn’t always a cakewalk. Their struggles against an FCS school only make the upcoming matchup with Oregon even scarier for the Cowboys.

In 2024, the Ducks began the year 13-0 and were the No. 1 team in the country before falling to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Considering the significant differences between the two teams’ success last season, this game has been viewed as a scheduled loss for OSU throughout the offseason.

However, the Cowboys can’t afford to go into the matchup with that mentality. While they are nearly a four-touchdown underdog and didn’t look all that great in the season opener, OSU can still control its mindset. Having a veteran head coach in Mike Gundy leading the way with plenty of experience throughout the coaching staff could also go a long way.

Fighting a losing battle?

No one expects the Cowboys to go into Eugene and come away with a win. In fact, most around the country seem to believe the Cowboys won’t even be able to keep the final score close. Still, as long as OSU can keep the game competitive for the most part, it could still be a program-building win for the Cowboys.

Although the Cowboys are still figuring things out, they’ll have to grow up fast and form some chemistry quickly to make Week 2 a competitive one. Considering the Cowboys at least have one game under their belts, they have a better idea of what to expect internally as the Oregon matchup looms.

Still, that won’t make up for the talent difference. With the Ducks being among the top programs in the country over the past few years and expecting to compete for a national title again this season, it should be easy to see why everyone anticipates a big win for the home team.

In any case, the Cowboys have a chance to make something special happen, and they can’t get caught up in the expectations of the outside world.