Lost in the Chaos of the Upset: Caleb Hawkins Continued His Dominant Streak in Ames

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Caleb Hawkins is giving the Cowboys about 200 total yards per Big 12 game.

Oklahoma State lost to Iowa State 51-49 on Saturday. As you can imagine, a game that included 100 points and 1,114 offensive yards had a ridiculous amount of storylines to it. But one that is getting a bit lost in the shuffle in all that chaos was the fact that Hawkins might’ve had his best day as a Cowboy in Ames.

Listed at 6-feet, 219 pounds, Hawkins ran 25 times for a season-high 194 rush yards. And after scoring only two rushing touchdowns entering Saturday, he doubled that total against the Cyclones. He also caught six passes for another 81 yards and a score.

Hawkins’ 25 carries were the second-most he’s had this season — trailing the 31 he took in Morgantown. But He didn’t tally a catch in that game. So, the six catches added to his 25 carries equal the same number of touches. In Morgantown, 31 touchdowns turned into 180 yards and a touchdown. In Ames, 31 touches turned into a season-high 275 yards and three touchdowns.

Over the past three weeks, Hawkins has caught 18 passes for 278 yards and two scores as he continues to be a regular in the air attack. In Big 12 play thus far, Hawkins is averages 191 total yards a game.

Per PFF, Hawkins leads all FBS running backs in receiving yards, with his 353 being 41 yards ahead of second-place AJ Newberry (Oregon State).

Log that run on Strava 💨

Caleb Hawkins goes 59 YD to the house

📺 @cfbonfox https://t.co/x7UKN8B1bO

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 31, 2026

Hawkins’ 353 receiving yards is already more than any OSU running back has had in a season since Joseph Randle’s 427 in 2010. Hawkins still has four regular season games left to add to his total.

He’s been a big play waiting to happen.

In Ames, Hawkins had a 59-yard touchdown catch and a 75-yard touchdown run. Per ESPN, that made him the first Big 12 player since Marquise Goodwin (Texas) in 2012 with a 50+ yard rushing TD and a 50+ yard receiving TD in the same game.

Peep the stiff arm 👀

Caleb Hawkins 75 yards to the house!

📺: @CFBONFOX https://t.co/hh81lA8CR7

— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) November 1, 2026

And he’s only a sophomore.

Hawkins is just a few years removed from needing to go to a camp to get a Division-I offer, as his North Texas offer beat out offers to Emporia State and UCO. So, credit to OSU running backs coach (formerly at UNT) Patrick Cobbs and Eric Morris for finding a guy who could not only contribute so early but do so at an elite level.