⚡ CFB Dashboard

With 4:11 left in the first quarter on Saturday night, Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker tried to squeeze a short throw into a tight window for a well-covered Caleb Hawkins, but the pass was broken up. After that, Mestemaker attempted 16 more passes during the Cowboys' 59-0 win over Murray State, and not a single one of them hit the Boone Pickens Stadium turf. A week removed from his miraculous work in the 39-31 upset of Oregon, Mestemaker was nearly perfect as the Pokes cruised through their non-conference finale.  "I thought he was locked in from the beginning," coach Eric Morris said. "I thought we were able to establish a run game early on and that allowed us to get into some play-action stuff early.  "I thought some of his layered throws today were phenomenal. That's not easy to do. He had two balls on the second level — 30, 40 yards down the field — one with pressure to Bowick that were pretty phenomenal throws. He just continues to take great pride in the way he prepares and goes out there and executes at a really high level." Mestemaker finished 20 of 22 for 324 yards and five touchdowns. His 90.9% completion rate and his 289.6 quarterback rating were the best ever for an OSU quarterback in a game with at least 20 pass attempts. Through three career games at OSU, Mestemaker has thrown eight touchdown passes. Last year, OSU had seven total touchdown passes all season.  Justin Bowick has 178 yards in first half Justin Bowick has shown glimpses of all the skills his teammates have been talking about since spring. The blazing speed, physicality and ball skills in a 6-foot-5, 209-pound body. It all came together Saturday, when Bowick was targeted 10 times and caught nine of them for 178 yards and two touchdowns. He made tough grabs and had 84 yards after the catch. "I think he's having fun playing in a wide-open offense, in something where he's getting targets," Morris said. "He did a phenomenal job today." And he didn't even get targeted after halftime. "I think this is the most receptions I've had, so I'm very proud of that. It's always good to have a 100-plus yard game," he said. "That's what I came here for, to be explosive and get yards like that. "(The offense has) opened up the playbook a little bit more, I mean, for me, a little bit more down-the-field shots." Defense 'protects the donut' Linebacker Isaiah Chisom couldn't find words to accurately describe the sideline celebration by defensive players after Luke Webb blocked the Murray State field goal attempt in the first quarter. "Protecting that donut is what Coach Gordon was talking to us about, no matter who was in," Chisom said, referencing assistant linebackers coach Robbie Gordon. What can a shutout, even against an FCS team, do for a defense's confidence? "Boost it all the way up," Chisom said. "Even a close win, you're kind of like, 'We did that.' But when you have a win like this, it's definitely a confidence booster." It was OSU's first shutout since 2021 at Texas Tech, and the Pokes' first shutout at home since the 84-0 win over Savannah State in 2012. Morris provides injury updates The Cowboys seemed to come out of Saturday without any noteworthy injuries, but Morris gave an update on two players who didn't suit up Saturday. Offensive lineman Joseph Hanson and defensive tackle Iman Oates were injured during the Oregon game last week, but sat out this week. "I think both of those guys should be up practicing next week," Morris said. "Obviously they'll have to prove throughout the week that they can manage a game load, and we'll have to make a decision later in the week."