Drew Mestemaker is quickly becoming one of the biggest reasons behind Oklahoma State's impressive start to the season. The Cowboys quarterback delivered another impressive performance Saturday, throwing for 304 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score in Oklahoma State’s 42-28 victory over UCF at Boone Pickens Stadium. The win marked Oklahoma State’s fourth straight victory after opening the season with a loss to Tulsa.
The No. 18 Cowboys improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Big 12 play, continuing their strong start under first-year head coach Eric Morris. For Mestemaker, it was another opportunity to showcase the talent that has helped make him one of college football’s more intriguing quarterbacks. The former North Texas standout completed 19 of 28 passes without throwing an interception, helping Oklahoma State overcome a competitive UCF team that refused to go away.
But even with strong Quarterback play, the Cowboys had to work for this victory. UCF opened the game with a touchdown after recovering an Oklahoma State fumble, taking an early 7-0 lead. Mestemaker quickly responded, leading the Cowboys down the field before finding the end zone himself on an 11-yard touchdown run to tie the game.
But the Knights weren’t going to make things easy. UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins answered with another touchdown drive, putting the Knights back in front before Oklahoma State tied the game early in the second quarter. Mestemaker eventually helped the Cowboys take their first lead of the afternoon, connecting with Justin Bowick for a touchdown with just over two minutes remaining before halftime.
However, Jenkins led UCF down the field once again, finding Tyren Hornes for a touchdown that sent both teams into the locker room tied at 21. With the game hanging in the balance, Oklahoma State needed to find a way to separate itself from the Knights. And while Mestemaker continued to lead the offense, it was the Cowboys’ defense that delivered the biggest play of the afternoon.
Oklahoma State held UCF scoreless in the third quarter, allowing the Cowboys to take a 24-21 advantage behind a 40-yard field goal from Sam Keltner. Keltner added another field goal early in the fourth quarter, extending Oklahoma State’s lead to six points. But with UCF threatening to take control, the Cowboys delivered a game-changing defensive play.
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