Three Takeaways from the Oklahoma State-UCF Rewatch

Support PFB with a PFB+ membership — $8 a month or $50 for a year.

The Knights held on for as long as they could Saturday, but they couldn’t keep up with the Cowboys’ potent offensive attack.

Oklahoma State beat UCF 42-28. I already laid out 10 thoughts in the immediate aftermath of the game, but after watching the TV copy, here are three more things I noticed.

1. Mestemaker’s Biggest ‘Wow’ Throw of the Game (Probably)

Drew Mestemaker had six completions of at least 20 yards in what was another excellent display of arm talent.

After the game, I wrote about a throw that Mestemaker used his brain to get the better of the UCF defense, but he noted after the game that it’s probably more satisfying to fit a ball into a tight window — specifically pointing to a pass he made to Terrence Lewis.

“It was getting tight in the pocket and getting tight downfield, and you know you throw it and you don’t really know if it’s going to get caught,” Mestemaker said. “You’re just kind of throwing to a spot out there, and it’s a relieving feeling when your receiver comes down and catches it.”

The throw in question came on a first down in the second quarter. UCF rushed five on the play, bringing a guy flying in from the perimeter.

Mestemaker climbed up in the pocket, throwing as a pair of Knights converged on him before he hit Lewis among three UCF defenders.

Here’s the pressure:

And here’s the window Mestemaker if the ball into:

As pretty as the throw was, give Lewis credit after the fact, as he shook two would-be tacklers while gaining an extra chunk of yards for what ended up being a 26-yard play.

ESPN’s Jordan Reid posted the end zone copy. It’s the first throw of these two plays:

The Mestemaker tape vs. UCF is exceptional. Two of my favorite plays here. He sees the middle of the field so cleanly and understands how to access those windows. https://t.co/t97jwgFTmZ

— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) October 11, 2026

I’m not sure what’s more impressive, the anticipation of throwing to a spot knowing your receiver will be there or the ability to fit that ball in the middle of three defenders.

2. Braydon Nelson Snaps

Braydon Nelson made a brief debut on Saturday, playing five offensive snaps against the Knights.

Nelson had started every game at tackle for North Texas last season but has been out the start of this season with injury.

He subbed in for Shaun Torgeson at left tackle for the Cowboys’ fourth drive of the game.

There isn’t a ton to glean from just five offensive snaps, but here’s how they went.

Play 1: Nelson pulls on a counter alongside Desmond Magiya. Caleb Hawkins gains 4.

Play 2: Pass protection vs. a UCF edge rusher. Mestemaker gets it out quick to Wyatt Young for a gain of 9 yards.

Play 3: Looked to be an RPO, with right guard Joseph Hanson pulling to the left side, but Mestemaker pulled the ball out and threw a deep ball to Chris Barnes that landed incomplete. Without knowing everyone’s exact assignment, Nelson might’ve missed a pick up here. But the ball was out with time to spare, so it didn’t matter.

Play 4: Zone run play to the right. Hawkins gains a yard.

Play 5: The play is designed to get Mestemaker rolling to his left — Nelson’s side. Nelson does a good job passing one defender off to Magiya as another defender loops to the outside. The play results in an incomplete pass, and the Cowboys punt.

3. Excruciating Conversions

It doesn’t matter if you get a first down by 1 yard or 20, it resets the chains all the same, and it felt like in a lot of somewhat crucial downs, the Knights would just get the ball across the line to gain.

The OSU offense came up against just nine third downs on Saturday — UCF had 16. The Knights were just staying on schedule and inching forward.

UCF converted seven third downs and four fourth downs.

There was a stretch from the end of the second quarter to the start of the fourth where the Knights were 4-for-7 on the down. Here are those conversions:

3rd-and-6 — gain 12
3rd-and-3 — gain 4
3rd-and-5 — gain 6
3rd-and-10 — gain 11

That 3rd-and-10 conversion came with what looked to be a fairly evident push-off that the officials didn’t flag. But that shows an example of just how narrowly the Knights were staying on the field and moving forward.

Two of the Knights’ fourth-down conversions also came by a yard or less.

This isn’t a knock on the Cowboy defense. The Pokes still rank fourth in the Big 12 in third-down D, allowing conversions 31% of the time, but Saturday’s game provided a handful of crowd quieting moments as the Knights matriculated their way down the field.