Oklahoma State Cowboys

Oklahoma State Cowboys | 2026 Preseason Preview

By Justgiver31 Sports

If you thought Stillwater was going to sit quietly through another football season, somebody forgot to tell the Cowboys. A new era is underway in Oklahoma State, and the spotlight is shining directly on quarterback Drew Mestemaker, running back Caleb Hawkins, and a head coach ready to put his stamp on the program. Coach Giver is entering his first season at the helm, and expectations are already bringing enough pressure to make a third-and-long feel like a leisurely stroll through the park.

Mestemaker arrives in Stillwater with a résumé that demands attention. After leading the nation in passing yards at North Texas in 2025, the quarterback brings a big arm, confidence, and the ability to keep a defense guessing. His challenge now is turning that individual production into consistent success in an Oklahoma State uniform. Quarterbacks can make highlight reels all day, but the real test comes when the pocket collapses, the defense disguises its coverage, and the game is hanging in the balance. That is where Mestemaker will have to prove he can lead the Cowboys when the lights get brightest.

Then there is Caleb Hawkins, a running back who doesn't exactly specialize in making defensive coordinators sleep comfortably. Hawkins scored an NCAA FBS freshman-record 29 touchdowns at North Texas in 2025. Let that sink in for a second. Twenty-nine trips to the end zone! Now imagine pairing that kind of scoring production with Mestemaker's passing ability. If the Cowboys can establish the ground game early, opposing defenses could face a miserable choice: load the box to slow Hawkins or spread out to defend Mestemaker through the air. Either way, somebody could find themselves on the wrong end of a very long afternoon.

Of course, talent alone doesn't guarantee wins. Coach Giver's first season will be about building chemistry, establishing accountability, and getting a roster full of new faces to pull in the same direction. The offense must find its rhythm, the defense must do its part, and the coaching staff will have to make the right adjustments when adversity inevitably shows up. There will be growing pains, tough decisions, and moments when patience gets tested. Welcome to college football, where even the smartest game plan occasionally meets a linebacker with other ideas.

The Cowboys have intriguing pieces to build around, and Mestemaker and Hawkins give this new chapter two headline names worth watching. Now comes the hard part: delivering when it counts. Coach Giver gets his first shot at shaping the future of Oklahoma State, and Stillwater is ready to see whether this new crew can turn preseason buzz into Saturday-night celebrations. The hype is in the air, the expectations are real, and the only thing left is to make the rest of college football learn one name the hard way: Oklahoma State.