Oklahoma State’s 2026 Schedule Through the Lens of Opposing Starting Quarterbacks

All of the quarterback excitement emanating out of Stillwater is surrounding Drew Mestemaker, and for good reason. But it looks to be a good year for quarterbacks on both sides of the field at Oklahoma State games.

With kickoff just over a month away, here is a look at OSU’s schedule through the lens of opposing starting quarterbacks.

Tulsa: Baylor Hayes

2025 Stats: 186-for-316 (59%), 2,158 passing yards, 12 passing TDs, 6 INTs, 190 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs
Year at Current School: 2

Hayes made the move from East Tennessee State to Tulsa along with coach Tre Lamb entering last season before the then redshirt freshman was able to win the Tulsa job and provide a solid foundation entering his second year with the program.

He ranked fifth in the American last season in big time throws with 17, per PFF, which is categorized as “a pass with excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window.” For reference, Drew Mestemaker led the American with 24 big time throws.

Hayes led the Golden Hurricane to a win in Boone Pickens Stadium last season, Tulsa’s first win in Stillwater since 1951 and a game that will be remembered as Mike Gundy’s last as OSU’s coach. Hayes threw for 219 yards and a touchdown that day and also ran for another 23 yards on seven carries.

Oregon: Dante Moore

2025 Stats: 296-fot-412 (72%), 3,565 passing yards, 30 passing TDs, 10 INTs, 156 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs
Year at Current School: 3

No matter where you look, Moore is in the running to be the No. 1 pick in next year’s NFL Draft.

Moore was a blue-chip prospect coming out of Detroit, with 247Sports listing him as the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2023 class. H was committed to Oregon for about five months before flipping to UCLA ahead of signing day.

After appearing in nine games for the Bruins in 2023 where he threw for 1,610 yards and 11 touchdowns, Moore made the move up to Eugene and the rest is history.

Moore feasted on the Cowboys in that game in Eugene last season, throwing for 266 yards and three touchdowns on only 21 attempts.

Murray State: Jim Ogle/Baxter Wright

Ogle’s 2025 Stats: 165-for-276 (60%), 1,767 passing yards, 9 passing TDs, 13 INTs, 30 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs
Ogle’s Year at Current School: 3

Wright’s 2025 Stats: 69-for-92 (75%), 577 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 1 INT, 150 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs
Wright’s Year at Current School: 3

A 6-foot-2, 220-pound redshirt sophomore, Ogle got the Racers starting nod last season, but Wright also managed to play in nine games, including three starts to close the year with Ogle injured.

Ogle’s college career started in the FBS ranks, as he signed with Louisianan-Monroe as part of the 2023 recruiting class over offers from Troy, UAB, New Mexico and others. He is the son of Murray State Co-OC/running backs coach Jimmy Ogle.

Wright is more mobile than his counterpart, as he finished as the Racers’ third-leading rusher last season with 150 yards and two touchdowns.

West Virginia: Michael Hawkins

2025 Stats (Oklahoma): 15-for-27 (56%), 167 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, 0 INTs, 58 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD
Year at Current School: 1

A winner in West Virginia’s Michael Hawkins/Scotty Fox quarterback battle hasn’t officially been named, but signs would point to Hawkins, an OU transfer, winning the job.

Hawkins took part in nine games across his two seasons in Norman, where he completed 62% of his 147 attempts for 950 yards, six touchdowns and two picks while running for another 262 yards and two scores.

He was a four-star prospect in the 2024 class and committed to OU over an offer list that also included Alabama, Michigan, Penn State, Texas Tech and others.

Hawkins was thrown into the fire during that 2024 true freshman season, with the Sooners’ quarterback room being in as rough a shape as it had been in during some time. In the seven games Hawkins played as a freshman, the Sooners went 3-4, including a 1-4 mark in games he threw at least 10 passes in. It’s hard to pin all of those woes on a true freshman quarterback in the SEC, but it led OSU to going out and getting John Mateer going into 2025, displacing Hawkins. Perhaps a change of scenery was needed.

UCF: Alonza Barnett

2025 Stats (James Madison): 216-for-370 (58%), 2,806 passing yards, 23 passing TDs, 8 INTs, 589 rushing yards, 15 rushing TDs
Year at Current School: 1

Barnett is one of many star lower-level quarterbacks making the move up to the Big 12 this season.

Listed at 5-foot-11, 210 pounds, Barnett spent his first four seasons of college ball at James Madison, meaning he was with the Dukes during the Curt Cignetti Era.

Barnett’s last two seasons at JMU were outstanding, throwing for a combined 5,404 yards, running for a combined 1,031 yards and being responsible for a combined 71 touchdowns.

He was the Sun Belt’s Player of the Year last season as he led the Dukes to the College Football Playoff. Although JMU lost that playoff game to Oregon, Barnett still threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns while running for 45 yards and another score. He also had a performance against Old Dominion last season where he threw for 295 yards, ran for 153 yards and accounted for six total TDs.

Houston: Conner Weigman

2025 Stats: 232-for-356 (65%), 2,705 passing yards, 25 passing TDs, 9 INTs, 700 rushing yards, 11 rushing TDs
Year at Current School: 2

Weigman’s situation wasn’t too dissimilar to Hawkins’, but Weigman is a year further ahead.

Weigman was a blue-chip recruit coming out of the Lone Star State, being tabbed as a Top 25 player in the 2022 recruiting class. He signed with Texas A&M over offers from OSU, OU, TCU, Ole Miss, Florida and others.

He took part in 15 games across three seasons as an Aggie, throwing for 2,694 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions before hitting the portal and re-emerging at Houston last season, where he potential was almost immediately realized.

Weigman threw for 2,705 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine picks in his first year as a Cougar, leading the program to 10 wins for the first time since 2021. In their previous two seasons in the Big 12, Houston had won eight games combined before Weigman got to H-Town.

Colorado: Julian Lewis

2025 Stats: 52-for-94 (55%), 589 passing yards, 4 passing TDs, 0 INTs
Year at Current School: 2

Speaking of former blue-chip recruits, Lewis is entering his second season of college ball after being considered a Top 50 recruit in the 2025 class.

He took part in four games and made two starts as a true freshman, throwing for 589 yards and four touchdowns to no picks. All but eight of those passing yards came in November, as he started getting more run late in the season.

Lewis had his pick of the litter when it came to college programs, choosing Deion Sanders over offers to USC, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Notre Dame and many others.

Iowa State: Jaylen Raynor

2025 Stats (Arkansas State): 333-for-420 (66%), 3,361 passing yards, 19 passing TDs, 11 INTs, 423 rushing yards, 7 rushing TDs
Year at Current School: 1

Raynor is another guy making the move up from the Group of Five ranks after a successful career at Arkansas State.

He threw for at least 2,500 yards in all three of his seasons with the Red Wolves, including a Sun Belt-leading 3,361 yards this past season.

And it’s not just his arm you have to worry about. Raynor forced 41 missed tackles last season, which led all non-running backs in the Sun Belt, as he ran for 423 yards and seven scores.

Kansas State: Avery Johnson

2025 Stats: 204-for-341 (60%), 2,385 passing yards, 18 passing TDs, 6 INTs, 477 rushing yards, 8 rushing TDs
Year at Current School: 4

Johnson took a small step back in his third year with the program, but he’s been reunited with Collin Klein and is still one of the more dangerous runners at the position in the country.

Johnson was a true freshman the last time he worked under Klein. Johnson took part in eight games that season, making two starts while also being used as a dual-threat option. That season saw Johnson complete 37 passes for 479 yards, five touchdowns and no picks and run for 296 yards and another seven scores.

He started for the Wildcats the past two seasons. That experience gained plus getting back with Klein could mean Johnson is up for a big year.

Texas Tech: Will Hammond

2025 Stats: 69-for-109 (63%), 680 passing yards, 7 passing TDs, 3 INT, 299 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs
Year at Current School: 3

It’s been an interesting offseason for the Red Raiders’ quarterback room to say the least, but after Brendan Sorsby’s exit, redshirt sophomore Will Hammond is set to run the show.

Hammond played in eight games last season before tearing his ACL, relieving an injured Behren Morton. He also got on the field in four games as a true freshman while redshirting.

He was a four-star quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class after a successful career at Hutto (TX). He ended up picking Tech over offers from Oregon, OSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Pen State and others.

Arizona State: Cutter Boley/Mikey Keene

Boley’s 2025 Stats (Kentucky): 198-for-301 (66%), 2,160 passing yards, 15 passing TDs, 12 INTs, 85 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs
Year at Current School: 1

Keene’s 2025 Stats (Michigan): DNP
Year at Current School: 1

Kenny Dillingham still hasn’t named a starter, though sifting through some things, it sounds as if Boley is the favorite to win the job.

Boley was a four-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, electing to stay in his home state with Kentucky over offers from Oregon (when Dillingham was the Ducks’ OC), Alabama, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Texas A&M and others.

He played in 15 games across two seasons with the Wildcats, completing 63% of his passes for 2,498 yards, 17 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

Keene is a college football journeyman at this point. He spent last season sitting behind Bryce Underwood at Michigan but previously played at UCF (2021-22) and Fresno State (2023-24).

His best season to this point was his first year at Fresno, where he threw for 2,976 yards and 24 TDs.

Kansas: Cole Ballard/Isaiah Marshall

Ballard’s 2025 Stats: 10-for-22 (46%), 108 passing yards, 1 passing TD, 1 INT, 92 rushing yards
Year at Current School: 4

Marshall’s 2025 Stats: 3-for-3 (100%), 28 passing yards, 160 rushing yards
Year at Current School: 3

The Kansas job is still open, as well, and appears to be coming down to two returners who got a little bit of run last season.

Ballard walked on at KU and has gotten in 15 games across his first three seasons in Lawrence, with his best performance to date being a 162-yard game in a loss to K-State.

Marshall got in nine games last season but was primarily used as a runner, running five times more than he threw. He was a three-star prospect in the 2024 class and also had offers to Michigan, Ole Miss, Kentucky and others.