Spring Schedule Preview: Oklahoma State Opens Nonconference Slate Against Tulsa, Oregon

With a dash of recency bias and a hint of hyperbole, I’ll go ahead and declare this the most anticipated OSU football season — in a while. See how I got really noncommittal at the end?

Regardless of how you view it, Oklahoma State fans are starving for a relevant football program, and it looks like OSU brass fast-tracked the process using the tools of today’s NCAA. With Eric Morris’ staff installed and a reset roster — most transferring from his exciting and exceeding North Texas squad — OSU has a chance to step right back into Big 12 contention after a pretty ugly two-year slump.

But all the 247 rankings and PFF ratings mean diddly-squat compared to what takes place on the turf. That’s where we’re headed with this way-too-early preview of the Cowboys’ 2026 schedule revenge tour.

Week 1: Tulsa | Sept. 5 | Tulsa, Okla

Series History: OSU leads 44-28-5

Last meeting: Tulsa broke a 10-game series losing streak — and the collective hearts in Stillwater — and the Golden Hurricane needed only one touchdown to do it. The Golden Hurricane sounded the Saturday siren in Stillwater, downing OSU 19-12, and proving that the wheels really had fallen off.

Tulsa in 2025: TU didn’t quite turn into a juggernaut after the signature win. It was actually the Hurricane’s only FBS victory until mid-November. They boarded the bus outside BPS and proceeded directly into a five-game losing streak and finished 4-8 on the season.

Tulsa in 2026: Heading into his second year, Tulsa head coach Tre Lamb has made a couple of headlines locally. One was when he reportedly told a TU hoops home crowd his team would “beat their ass again,” that collective posterior belonging to the Cowboys.

Also of note was Lamb’s “portal house” which was meant to facilitate excitement and transparency for Hurricane fans as they also tried to inject talent to their roster. But TU’s class sits currently at No. 78, according to 247Sports’ portal ranking.

Week 2: Oregon | Sept. 12 | Stillwater, Okla.

Series History: UO leads 0-2

Last meeting: 👉⚠️

The Cowboys were handed their worst loss in 118 years. In an effort to avoid triggering any PTSD, I’ll leave it at that.

Oregon in 2025: If it offers any comfort, the Ducks were, in fact, legit. They went 13-2 on the year with their only two losses coming to eventual national champion Indiana.

Oregon in 2026: The Ducks should be right back in the thick of it as CFP contenders, despite an especially tough Big Ten slate. They return a strong core of their 2025 starters including QB1 Dante Moore and their entire starting defensive line, that group of All-Big Ten honorees that made life miserable on the Pokes last September.

Week 3: Murray State | Sept. 19 | Stillwater, Okla.

Series History: 0-0

Murray State in 2025: The Racers and Cowboys have one thing in common. They each went 1-11 in 2025. In fact, Murray State was also 1-11 in 2024, following up a 2-9 finish in both 2022 and 2023. If you see anyone wandering around Stillwater in the Navy and Gold that weekend, salute them. It’s a rare type of fan that travels with an FCS team that’s totaled six victories in the past four years.

Murray State in 2026: It’s tough to project where the Racers will land in the second year under head coach Jody Wright. But from the Cowboys’ perspective, this game might come at a welcome time, between a Big Ten favorite and the start of the Big 12 schedule.