Nov 06, 2026 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
While purple fills Bill Snyder Family Stadium, the goal is to keep Oklahoma State, one of the nation's top offensive attacks, at bay in a Big 12 Conference clash at noon on Saturday.
K-State, 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the Big 12, comes off a 27-24 overtime loss at Colorado. The Wildcats are expected to start their fourth quarterback in four contests, as junior Blake Barnett is slated to earn his first-career start after coming off the sideline and firing three touchdown passes to keep pace with the Buffaloes.
Oklahoma State, 5-3 and 3-2, wraps up a two-game road stretch after an emotional 51-49 loss of its own at Iowa State, as the teams combined for 100 points and 1,114 yards of offense, and the Cyclones used a walk-off 34-yard field goal to bounce the 25th-ranked Cowboys from the AP Top 25 Poll.
Drew Mestemaker, who leads all Power 4 players in passing yards per game, and who is now widely considered as the potential No. 1 pick in the next NFL Draft and as a contender for the Heisman Trophy, completed 27-of-42 passes for 323 yards and five touchdowns to one interception against the Cyclones, and he has thrown for at least 300 yards with multiple touchdown passes in seven straight games to tie for the longest single-season streak in Big 12 history.
"He's the whole package," said K-State head coach Collin Klein, a 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist and one of the finest quarterbacks in Big 12 history. "I've been impressed in watching a couple of the games I have on TV. I mean, his demeanor is dialed in, he's competitive yet calm and very poised, and his accuracy is off the chart. His anticipation and visualization of coverage — he sees that hole before it's even there and that ball is on its way in a hurry. Then you watch how he compete,s and he's a heck of a player and the whole package."
The Oklahoma State offense appears to be the total package as well.
After not winning a conference game in 2024 or 2025, Oklahoma State brought in head coach Eric Morris, who then brought in 40 new staff members and 91 newcomers — believed to be the most newcomers on one team in major college football, surpassing Colorado's 87 newcomers in 2023. The results are staggering, as Oklahoma State averages 41.1 points per game after averaging just 14.2 points per game in 2025 — a 26.9-point improvement that's the largest in the FBS.
Oklahoma State is the only Power 4 team with players that rank among the top 25 in passing, rushing and receiving yards per game, as Mestemaker ranks No. 2 with 331.1 passing yards per game, Caleb Hawkins ranks No. 10 with 113.3 yards per game, Justin Bowick ranks No. 18 with 91.4 receiving yards per game, and Wyatt Young ranks No. 20 with 89.1 receiving yards per game.
"We have a big challenge," Klein said. "I'm excited to be back at home. This will be as good of an offense as we'll play all year. This will be as good of a quarterback as there is in the country. They do a tremendous job. It's going to be a challenge for us. It's about us and about how we respond and attack."
Oklahoma State has an advantage in the head-to-head offensive comparison. The Cowboys rank No. 3 in the FBS in scoring offense (41.1), No. 3 in total offense (529.7), No. 3 in passing offense (338.8) and No. 31 in rushing offense (190.9). K-State ranks No. 50 in scoring offense (31.8), No. 34 in total offense (426.6), No. 78 in passing offense (221.1) and No. 19 in rushing offense (205.5).
The Cowboys have scored at least 30 points in seven straight games, nearing the school's single season record when they reached 30 points in nine straight games in 2011.
"We need to put some points on the board," said K-State senior Garrett Oakley, whose 15 receiving touchdowns are tied for most by an active tight end in the nation. "We have great confidence in our defense, but at the end of the day, Oklahoma State is really explosive. It's going to be maybe a different mentality of we have to put a lot of points on the board, and hopefully we get it done."
One game after attempting his first pass at K-State, Barnett will be tasked with helping the Wildcats keep pace with Mestemaker, who has thrown for at least 200 yards in 23 straight games — the longest streak in the FBS.
Barnett completed 18-of-28 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns, and he added 16 carries for 40 yards in coming off the sideline to replace starting sophomore Dillion Duff against the Buffaloes.
It has been a next-man-up mentality for K-State as it grapples with mass losses at a team's most crucial position. Record-setting senior Avery Johnson is injured, as is fifth-year palyer Jacob Knuth. Barnett was cleared to play four days prior to facing Colorado. Duff has battled injuries as well.
"It's a weird deal, everybody getting hurt and banged up, but you just have to trust the process, stay the course, and it's next man up," Barnett said. "Being a competitor is something you're born with, that kind of competitive nature. I definitely was born with that. When I was a little kid, I'd cry and get mad if I lost a game. I've learned to channel it better, just playing football and being more focused.
"I love to play and I love to win."
K-State poses an interesting challenge for Oklahoma State's third-rated passing offense in the FBS as the Wildcats rank No. 7 in passing defense in the nation and tops in the Big 12 in allowing just 151.9 yards per game. One of the main reasons the Wildcats are stout against the pass is they rank fifth in the league with 2.4 sacks per game and 17th nationally with 6.9 tackles for loss per game. K-State has five players that have recorded multiple sacks, including Jayden Bryant, who has a team-high 4.0 sacks in his first season with the Wildcats.
One of K-State's biggest Achilles heels has been giving up the explosive play. Oklahoma State ranks No. 3 in the nation with 55 plays from scrimmage covering at least 20 yards. Its 44 passing plays of 20-plus yards lead the country. Meanwhile, K-State ranks 79th in giving up 34 plays from scrimmage of at least 20 yards. The Wildcats have surrendered 16 rushing plays of 20-plus yards, which ranks 128th in the country and next-to-last among Power 4 teams.
K-State linebacker Gabe Powers is eager for the defense to play its best against one of the nation's top offensive attacks.
"Everybody wants to win very badly," Powers said. "The past doesn't matter. It's this week. It's every day. You can't let the past dictate today. The quarterback, he'll be a top-5 pick if not No. 1, so everybody has to be really on their game and in the right spot every time. They have all the pieces from the receivers to running back to quarterback to offensive line. They're all around a great team."
K-State continues to seek all around consistency.
"I told our guys where we're at as a 4-4 football team right now, there are things we have to learn and get better at, myself first and foremost, our staff, and our players," Klein said, "and when you're facing times like this with adversity and going through things like this and learning lessons the hard way, that's a tremendous opportunity."
As for the suggestion for K-State to hurry and try to put up big numbers in a race to reach the end zone against touchdown-happy Oklahoma State?
"Anytime you start chasing and not being yourself, your identity, and how you want to play, any problems you do have get worse," Klein said. "We have to be us, and on offense be more consistent on third down, and sustain and finish drives in the red zone. Defensively, we have to be very sound and good against the run and be good in coverage and in our eye discipline and go compete and be and do what we do."
From weekly quarterback questions to battling tough teams each Saturday, it has been a grind for the Wildcats in the meat of an unforgiving league schedule.
It's good to be home.
"Playing at home is amazing, the fans are amazing, and the atmosphere is amazing," Powers said. "We really appreciate the fans coming out every week and showing their support."
Oakley, a fifth-year senior, remembers the last two times Oklahoma State visited Manhattan. Two years ago, K-State rolled to a 42-20 win over Oklahoma State. In 2022, K-State handed No. 9 Oklahoma State a 48-0 loss — the Cowboys' most lopsided defeat in nearly 18 seasons.
"The last two times they've played here, we've beaten them," Oakley said. "It's a tough place to play here. We want to put on a show for our fans and make them proud. At the end of the day, it's all about what we do on the field."
While purple fills Bill Snyder Family Stadium, the goal is to keep Oklahoma State, one of the nation's top offensive attacks, at bay in a Big 12 Conference clash at noon on Saturday.
K-State, 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the Big 12, comes off a 27-24 overtime loss at Colorado. The Wildcats are expected to start their fourth quarterback in four contests, as junior Blake Barnett is slated to earn his first-career start after coming off the sideline and firing three touchdown passes to keep pace with the Buffaloes.
Oklahoma State, 5-3 and 3-2, wraps up a two-game road stretch after an emotional 51-49 loss of its own at Iowa State, as the teams combined for 100 points and 1,114 yards of offense, and the Cyclones used a walk-off 34-yard field goal to bounce the 25th-ranked Cowboys from the AP Top 25 Poll.
Drew Mestemaker, who leads all Power 4 players in passing yards per game, and who is now widely considered as the potential No. 1 pick in the next NFL Draft and as a contender for the Heisman Trophy, completed 27-of-42 passes for 323 yards and five touchdowns to one interception against the Cyclones, and he has thrown for at least 300 yards with multiple touchdown passes in seven straight games to tie for the longest single-season streak in Big 12 history.
"He's the whole package," said K-State head coach Collin Klein, a 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist and one of the finest quarterbacks in Big 12 history. "I've been impressed in watching a couple of the games I have on TV. I mean, his demeanor is dialed in, he's competitive yet calm and very poised, and his accuracy is off the chart. His anticipation and visualization of coverage — he sees that hole before it's even there and that ball is on its way in a hurry. Then you watch how he compete,s and he's a heck of a player and the whole package."
The Oklahoma State offense appears to be the total package as well.
After not winning a conference game in 2024 or 2025, Oklahoma State brought in head coach Eric Morris, who then brought in 40 new staff members and 91 newcomers — believed to be the most newcomers on one team in major college football, surpassing Colorado's 87 newcomers in 2023. The results are staggering, as Oklahoma State averages 41.1 points per game after averaging just 14.2 points per game in 2025 — a 26.9-point improvement that's the largest in the FBS.
Oklahoma State is the only Power 4 team with players that rank among the top 25 in passing, rushing and receiving yards per game, as Mestemaker ranks No. 2 with 331.1 passing yards per game, Caleb Hawkins ranks No. 10 with 113.3 yards per game, Justin Bowick ranks No. 18 with 91.4 receiving yards per game, and Wyatt Young ranks No. 20 with 89.1 receiving yards per game.
"We have a big challenge," Klein said. "I'm excited to be back at home. This will be as good of an offense as we'll play all year. This will be as good of a quarterback as there is in the country. They do a tremendous job. It's going to be a challenge for us. It's about us and about how we respond and attack."
Oklahoma State has an advantage in the head-to-head offensive comparison. The Cowboys rank No. 3 in the FBS in scoring offense (41.1), No. 3 in total offense (529.7), No. 3 in passing offense (338.8) and No. 31 in rushing offense (190.9). K-State ranks No. 50 in scoring offense (31.8), No. 34 in total offense (426.6), No. 78 in passing offense (221.1) and No. 19 in rushing offense (205.5).
The Cowboys have scored at least 30 points in seven straight games, nearing the school's single season record when they reached 30 points in nine straight games in 2011.
"We need to put some points on the board," said K-State senior Garrett Oakley, whose 15 receiving touchdowns are tied for most by an active tight end in the nation. "We have great confidence in our defense, but at the end of the day, Oklahoma State is really explosive. It's going to be maybe a different mentality of we have to put a lot of points on the board, and hopefully we get it done."
One game after attempting his first pass at K-State, Barnett will be tasked with helping the Wildcats keep pace with Mestemaker, who has thrown for at least 200 yards in 23 straight games — the longest streak in the FBS.
Barnett completed 18-of-28 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns, and he added 16 carries for 40 yards in coming off the sideline to replace starting sophomore Dillion Duff against the Buffaloes.
It has been a next-man-up mentality for K-State as it grapples with mass losses at a team's most crucial position. Record-setting senior Avery Johnson is injured, as is fifth-year palyer Jacob Knuth. Barnett was cleared to play four days prior to facing Colorado. Duff has battled injuries as well.
"It's a weird deal, everybody getting hurt and banged up, but you just have to trust the process, stay the course, and it's next man up," Barnett said. "Being a competitor is something you're born with, that kind of competitive nature. I definitely was born with that. When I was a little kid, I'd cry and get mad if I lost a game. I've learned to channel it better, just playing football and being more focused.
"I love to play and I love to win."
K-State poses an interesting challenge for Oklahoma State's third-rated passing offense in the FBS as the Wildcats rank No. 7 in passing defense in the nation and tops in the Big 12 in allowing just 151.9 yards per game. One of the main reasons the Wildcats are stout against the pass is they rank fifth in the league with 2.4 sacks per game and 17th nationally with 6.9 tackles for loss per game. K-State has five players that have recorded multiple sacks, including Jayden Bryant, who has a team-high 4.0 sacks in his first season with the Wildcats.
One of K-State's biggest Achilles heels has been giving up the explosive play. Oklahoma State ranks No. 3 in the nation with 55 plays from scrimmage covering at least 20 yards. Its 44 passing plays of 20-plus yards lead the country. Meanwhile, K-State ranks 79th in giving up 34 plays from scrimmage of at least 20 yards. The Wildcats have surrendered 16 rushing plays of 20-plus yards, which ranks 128th in the country and next-to-last among Power 4 teams.
K-State linebacker Gabe Powers is eager for the defense to play its best against one of the nation's top offensive attacks.
"Everybody wants to win very badly," Powers said. "The past doesn't matter. It's this week. It's every day. You can't let the past dictate today. The quarterback, he'll be a top-5 pick if not No. 1, so everybody has to be really on their game and in the right spot every time. They have all the pieces from the receivers to running back to quarterback to offensive line. They're all around a great team."
K-State continues to seek all around consistency.
"I told our guys where we're at as a 4-4 football team right now, there are things we have to learn and get better at, myself first and foremost, our staff, and our players," Klein said, "and when you're facing times like this with adversity and going through things like this and learning lessons the hard way, that's a tremendous opportunity."
As for the suggestion for K-State to hurry and try to put up big numbers in a race to reach the end zone against touchdown-happy Oklahoma State?
"Anytime you start chasing and not being yourself, your identity, and how you want to play, any problems you do have get worse," Klein said. "We have to be us, and on offense be more consistent on third down, and sustain and finish drives in the red zone. Defensively, we have to be very sound and good against the run and be good in coverage and in our eye discipline and go compete and be and do what we do."
From weekly quarterback questions to battling tough teams each Saturday, it has been a grind for the Wildcats in the meat of an unforgiving league schedule.
It's good to be home.
"Playing at home is amazing, the fans are amazing, and the atmosphere is amazing," Powers said. "We really appreciate the fans coming out every week and showing their support."
Oakley, a fifth-year senior, remembers the last two times Oklahoma State visited Manhattan. Two years ago, K-State rolled to a 42-20 win over Oklahoma State. In 2022, K-State handed No. 9 Oklahoma State a 48-0 loss — the Cowboys' most lopsided defeat in nearly 18 seasons.
"The last two times they've played here, we've beaten them," Oakley said. "It's a tough place to play here. We want to put on a show for our fans and make them proud. At the end of the day, it's all about what we do on the field."
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