Oregon Ducks' Week 2 opponent gets surprising preseason respect

A year ago, the Oregon Ducks came out in Week 2 of the season and won a college football game by about as many points as you’ll see in the modern era, destroying the Oklahoma State Cowboys by a score of 69-3. It was a bludgeoning that eventually played a role in legendary OSU coach Mike Gundy getting fired, and contributed to the Cowboys’ 1-11 season.

So now, a year later, how are we saying that the Ducks‘ Week 2 game in Stillwater, Oklahoma, is one of the more intriguing matchups of the non-conference slate?

It may seem like a crazy notion, but we can thank new head coach Eric Morris and quarterback Drew Mestemaker for that.

The Cowboys have become one of the more intriguing teams to watch this year in the Big 12, and this early-season game against Oregon has picked up some major buzz recently, particularly after FOX Sports’ analyst Joel Klatt ranked Oklahoma State inside his top 25 to start the season.

“How often do you see a team that went 1-11 start out in the top 25?” Klatt said. “Welcome to the new modern age of college football.”

In reality, this is a completely different Oklahoma State team than the one Oregon faced last year. The coaching staff has been replaced, with Morris coming in from North Texas, where he led the Mean Green to the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation last year. He also brought in 55 new transfers this offseason, including 17 players from that North Texas team. The headliners are Mestemaker, considered one of the most talented QBs in the country, and star running back Caleb Hawkins, who led the country in rushing touchdowns as a freshman in 2025.

“I think that this is a really good football team that can turn it around quickly,” Klatt said. “Remember, in a conference in the Big 12 where everyone’s kind of mashed together, so all of a sudden you start winning some close games, and you can have a big bump in year one. I think that might happen for Eric Morris there at Oklahoma State.”

Of course, the Ducks landed at No. 1 in Klatt’s preseason poll, and by a wide margin, so it’s not as if he’s predicting some close game between the Ducks and Cowboys. However, for fans keeping score at home, this is yet another non-conference game for Oregon that is garnering some early intrigue.

In Week 1, the Ducks will host the Boise State Broncos, a team expected to contend for a College Football Playoff spot as the Group of 6 representative. Oregon is currently favored by more than three touchdowns, according to FanDuel, but it’s a more interesting game than last year’s opener against Montana State, to say the least.

Now, Oregon’s Week 2 opponent is also creating some headlines. A year ago, the Ducks dealt with headlines thanks to former OSU head coach Mike Gundy. We’ll see what’s in store this time around.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks’ Week 2 opponent gets surprising preseason respect