5 Oklahoma State football takeaways from ugly loss to Tulsa in debut of Eric Morris era

TULSA — Oklahoma State carried an 11-game season-opening win streak, the fourth-longest in FBS. It didn't carry it out of H.A. Chapman Stadium.

Tulsa defeated OSU 24-10 on Saturday, opening the Eric Morris era in Stillwater on a sour note. The Golden Hurricane have now beaten OSU twice in a row for the first time since 1950-52, when it happened three consecutive times.

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane in Week 1 college football, see photos

OSU felt left tackle Jacob Sexton 's absence

After missing 12 games last year at OU with a season-ending injury, new Cowboy left tackle Jacob Sexton got to play only six snaps in his 2026 return.

Sexton fell to the ground after getting undercut by a blocked Tulsa defender. Sexton sprawled on the turf for five minutes getting medical attention. Sexton was carted off with an air cast on his right leg .

Later in that drive on fourth-and-1 from the Tulsa 3-yard line, OSU running back Caleb Hawkins tried the left side of the line of scrimmage and was stuffed.

On a third-and-12 on OSU's second drive of the game, Tulsa sent a blitz from the left side. The Cowboys were unable to slide protection and quarterback Drew Mestemaker was hit for a loss of 8, ending the drive.

Tulsa, not Oklahoma State, generated the explosive plays

Big offensive plays were expected in the game. The surprising part is they came from only Tulsa.

Tulsa's offense broke big plays for 56 yards and 47 yards in the first half. OSU's longest play of the game was a 27-yard pass to receiver Wyatt Young in the fourth quarter.

In the first quarter, Tulsa receiver Oran Singleton beat junior cornerback Kollin Lewis down the right sideline and caught an over-the-shoulder pass for a 56-yard gain.

In the second quarter, Tulsa quarterback Baylor Hayes hung in the pocket and threw a rainbow pass into one-on-one coverage to Tulsa receiver Jimmy Calloway. Calloway wrestled the jump ball away from LaDainian Fields at the OSU 1-yard line for a gain of 47 yards. The play led to a touchdown.

In the first half, Caleb Hawkins split work

Hawkins, a 6-foot, 219 pound running machine, was OSU's most effective rusher in the first half. Morris prioritized keeping him fresh.

Hawkins nearly split work in the first half with Tarleton State transfer Tre Page III . Even in some short-yardage situations OSU turned to Page, listed at 5-foot-8, 184 pounds.

In the first half, Hawkins rushed 10 times for 54 yards (5.4 average) and Page III ran seven times for 19 yards.

Inside the Tulsa 10-yard line on OSU's first drive of the game Morris twice called runs for Page III, who rushed for 7 yards and then was stuffed for no gain. OSU couldn't cash the touchdown in.

OSU's third drive of the game ended when Page fumbled on a fourth-and-1 from its own 32. In the third quarter, senior Ayo Adeyi received his first carry of the game on fourth-and-1 and didn't convert.

Morris turned the keys to Hawkins in the second half and Hawkins finished with 18 carries for 79 yards. Page III didn't carry the ball in the second half.

Two fumbles could have made this thing worse

Even after Tulsa took a 17-3 lead midway through the third quarter, the game never felt out of reach. That was fortunate for the Cowboys.

Fumbles from Page III and Mestemaker twice handed the ball to the Golden Hurricane on the wrong side of the 50-yard line. Both times, the Cowboy defense bowed up and forced Tulsa kicker Marlon Hauck on the field.

Hauck missed a 31-yard attempt in the second quarter and a 40-yard attempt in the third, sending both footballs wide right sailing into the Case Athletic Complex that overlooks the field.

Last season under Morris, North Texas converted 62.2% of its fourth-down conversions.

This year, Morris' OSU offense is off to a 33.3% start.

It started out well, with Hawkins picking up a fourth-and-1 with a 3-yard plow up the middle on the game's first drive.

First quarter: Fourth-and-1 (Hawkins stuffed for no gain)

First quarter: Fourth-and-1 (Page III fumble)

Third quarter: Fourth-and-1 (Adeyi stuffed for no gain)

Fourth quarter: Fourth-and-1 ( Miles Coleman reception for zero yards)

Mestemaker got the fourth-down woes on track late in the third quarter in a do-or-die fourth-and-7 where he found receiver Justin Bowick for a touchdown.

Ben Hutchens covers OSU athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Ben? He can be reached at bhutchens@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @ben_hutchens_ . Sign up for OSU Sports Minute newsletter to access more coverage of the Cowboys and Cowgirls. Support Ben's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com .