Oklahoma State’s “new era” under head coach Eric Morris and quarterback Drew Mestemaker kicked off with an absolute gut punch, falling 24-10 to Tulsa. It was an embarrassing loss that immediately throws shade on what was supposed to be a fresh start after two brutal seasons, and honestly, this just feels like a bad omen for what’s ahead.
That’s Not How You Start a New Era, Folks
Man, after moving on from Mike Gundy for the first time since 2004, you’d think Oklahoma State was ready to make some noise. They brought in Eric Morris from North Texas, a guy who led the Mean Green to an 11-2 record last year while OSU was stuck at a miserable 1-11. The Cowboys had won a combined four games over the last two seasons, so the Gundy era definitely needed to end. But talk about a rough welcome for Morris. Tulsa hit a field goal first, and while OSU managed to tie it up with a field goal of their own in the second quarter, that was basically the last good news. Tulsa punched in a one-yard touchdown right before halftime, grabbed the lead, and never gave it back. A 24-10 final score for the Golden Hurricane, and get this: it’s the second win in a row for Tulsa over Oklahoma State. The last time that happened was 1951-1952! You gotta wonder what’s going on down there.
Mestemaker’s Debut Fizzles Under Pressure
Everyone was pumped to see Drew Mestemaker, the star quarterback who followed Morris over from North Texas. Last year, this dude threw for 4,379 yards with 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions over 14 games. He was supposed to be the answer, right? Well, Saturday’s loss was not his best look. He finished 29 of 49 passing for 241 yards, with a touchdown, but also threw two interceptions. Plus, he had five carries for three yards and lost a fumble. Ouch. While he reportedly “played well,” he just couldn’t make the crucial plays to extend drives when the team needed him most. That 241 passing yards total? It was the fifth-fewest he’s had in any game where he attempted more than three passes. Not exactly the dominant debut everyone was hoping for.
Morris and Mestemaker have to shake this one off *fast*. They’re back home next weekend, but it’s not some cupcake game. They’re hosting No. 2 Oregon. Yikes. The only silver lining here is that Big 12 conference play doesn’t kick off until September 26, which means they’ve got a couple of weeks to figure things out and get on the same page before the games that really matter. Here’s hoping they can use that time to turn this ship around, because that Oregon game is going to be a true test.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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