Mustard Sports

Oklahoma State went 1-11 last season. Teams don’t usually go from the bottom of the conference to legitimate contenders overnight.

Then again, most teams don’t add the nation’s most productive quarterback either.

Drew Mestemaker arrives in Stillwater after one of the best passing seasons in college football. At North Texas in 2025, he led the entire FBS with 4,379 passing yards while completing 68.9% of his throws, averaging 312.8 passing yards per game and 9.46 yards per attempt. He also threw 34 touchdown passes, tied for second nationally, and finished fourth in passing efficiency. He wasn’t simply putting up volume numbers in a pass-heavy offense, he was one of the country’s most efficient quarterbacks as well.  

That’s why Oklahoma State suddenly becomes one of the most fascinating teams in the Big 12.

The Eric Morris factor matters

Quarterback transfers often struggle because they have to learn a completely new offense. Mestemaker won’t have that problem.

He followed head coach Eric Morris from North Texas to Oklahoma State, bringing continuity that few transfer quarterbacks enjoy. Morris already knows exactly what Mestemaker does well, and Mestemaker already understands the timing, terminology, and reads within Morris’ offense. Several other key North Texas players also made the move to Stillwater, making the transition even smoother.  

That familiarity could shave months off the adjustment process.

Production usually translates

There’s always skepticism when a quarterback jumps from a Group of Five program to a Power Four conference.

Sometimes it’s justified.

But the numbers suggest Mestemaker’s production wasn’t simply the result of weak competition.

Quarterbacks who average nearly 9.5 yards per attempt while completing almost 69% of their passes aren’t just benefiting from scheme. Those are elite efficiency metrics regardless of conference. The combination of explosive plays and accuracy is exactly what NFL scouts look for because it tends to be more sustainable than raw passing volume.

He also wasn’t padding stats in meaningless situations.

North Texas won 12 games, reached its conference championship game, and finished the season with a bowl victory. Mestemaker wasn’t throwing for 400 yards while trailing by four touchdowns every week. He was producing winning football.  

Why Oklahoma State could improve dramatically

The Cowboys don’t need to become an elite defense overnight if the offense takes the leap many expect.

College football is increasingly driven by quarterback play, and the gap between average quarterback play and elite quarterback play is enormous.

If Oklahoma State’s passing game jumps from the bottom tier of the Big 12 into the conference’s top three or four, that changes every game on the schedule.

Explosive passing offenses force defenses into lighter boxes, creating easier rushing lanes. They convert third downs at higher rates, sustain longer drives, and increase scoring efficiency in the red zone.

A quarterback who consistently creates explosive plays raises the ceiling of everyone around him.

A legitimate Heisman sleeper

Most preseason Heisman conversations focus on quarterbacks at Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, or Texas.

Maybe they should be paying more attention to Stillwater.

Mestemaker already has the statistical profile voters love.

He led the nation in passing yards.

He finished near the top nationally in touchdown passes.

His efficiency numbers ranked among the country’s best.

Now he gets the opportunity to produce those numbers in a Power Four conference, where every big performance receives significantly more national attention.

He’s already being recognized as one of the Big 12’s top newcomers entering the season after his remarkable rise from walk-on to national passing leader.  

The challenge, of course, is team success.

Recent Heisman winners almost always come from teams competing for conference championships and College Football Playoff spots. If Oklahoma State finishes 7-5, even spectacular statistics probably won’t be enough.

But if the Cowboys surprise the conference and win nine or ten games?

Suddenly the conversation changes.

How good can Oklahoma State actually be?

The Cowboys probably aren’t national championship contenders.

That would be asking too much after a one-win season.

But expecting Oklahoma State to become one of the Big 12’s most improved teams isn’t unrealistic.

Quarterback is the single most valuable position in college football, and the Cowboys may have upgraded more at that position than any program in America.

Mestemaker has already shown he can produce at an elite statistical level. Now he’ll have the chance to prove those numbers weren’t a product of circumstance.

If they translate to the Big 12, Oklahoma State won’t stay near the bottom of the standings for long.

And if they translate exactly as they did a year ago, don’t be surprised if Drew Mestemaker goes from one of college football’s best-kept secrets to a legitimate Heisman finalist by December.