Buffs Fall In Stillwater - University of Colorado Athletics

Saturday, October 24

Stillwater, Okla.

5 p.m.

Colorado

2-5 , 0-4

Oklahoma State

5-2 , 3-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Colorado	14	10	0	0	24
Oklahoma St.	7	16	14	20	57

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October 24, 2026 | Football

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By: Jessica Maestas, Lead Athletic Communications Student Assistant

STILLWATER, Okla. – The Colorado Buffaloes Football team fell 57-24 to Oklahoma State Saturday night at Boone Pickens Stadium, battling neck-and-neck with the Cowboys in the first half, before OSU pulled away in the second for a win on Homecoming weekend.

Quarterback Isaac Wilson powered Colorado to a 24-23 halftime lead, completing his first nine passes and accounting for all three of the Buffs' touchdowns. He went 14-16 for 222 yards before the break, connecting with JaQuail Smith and DeAndre Moore Jr. for two touchdowns and adding a rushing score.

Joseph Williams led the receiving room with eight catches for 130 yards in the first half, helping the Buffs score on four of their six possessions. Moore recorded four receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown before the half, with both receivers surpassing 100-yards by end of game.

Colorado struggled to find the same rhythm coming out of halftime. A costly fumble on the opening snap of the third quarter positioned Oklahoma State for the go-ahead touchdown. The Cowboys carried that momentum into their next possession, finding the end zone again to extend their lead 37-24, before scoring 20 more points in the 4th quarter to close out the game 57-24.

Colorado fell to 2–5 overall and 0-4 in Big 12 play, while Oklahoma State improved to 5-2, 3-1.

"First half was phenomenal. It was one of our best halves that we played this season, going blow for blow with a team that you know can score," CU Head Coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders said. "We knew defensively they would give us opportunities to do some phenomenal things, and we did. Like I said, Isaac was 14-for-16 at halftime. He was playing a phenomenal half, distributing the ball. He did a great job of making his reads. But coming out and fumbling in the second half, as a team, I don't feel like we ever recovered."

"We just didn't play good enough," said Gideon ESPN Lampron. "That's kind of what it came down to. It's never really about what the other team's doing. It's about us going out executing. We just didn't today."

HOW IT HAPPENED

Out of the gate, the Cowboys came out firing. On the second play of their very first possession, OSU quarterback Drew Mestemaker found Miles Coleman in the endzone for an early 47-yard touchdown.

Colorado immediately responded with a 12-play drive of its own to tie the score. On 4th and 1 from the CU 34, Wilson handed the ball off to Smith, who powered up the middle for six tough yards to keep the Buffs' drive alive.

Three plays later, Colorado converted 3rd down and 2 when Wilson connected with Williams for a 26 yard gain that moved the Buffaloes deep into Cowboys territory at the home team's 26. After working the ball down to the 4, Wilson tossed a short pass to the right to Smith, who scampered into the end zone for Colorado's first score of the game with seven minutes left in the first quarter.

After holding the hosts to a 3-and-out on their next possession, Colorado eyed the opportunity to take the lead. On 1st down at midfield, Issac found Williams again, who raced 23 down the right side to the OSU 25. Facing 3rd and 10, Wilson called his own number, scampering 13 yards to pick up a huge first down in the Cowboys red zone. Three plays later, facing another long 3rd down conversion at 3rd and 13, Wilson delivered a laser to Moore down the middle that split two defenders for a 15-yard touchdown, giving the Buffs a 14-7 lead after the first quarter. In their first two drives, the Buffaloes were 4-of-5 on 3rd down and 1-of-1 on 4th to crucially keep drives alive.

Oklahoma State opened up the scoring in the second quarter with a 47-yard field goal by Sam Keltner to draw within 14-10 before retaking the lead with another quick strike. Mestamaker hit wideout Justin Bowick for a 52-yard completion down to the CU 10 before finding Bowick again, this time in the end zone from 14 yards out to put the home team back on top 17-14 with 8:48 to go in the half.

The Buffaloes answered Oklahoma State's big play with big plays of their own, courtesy of Williams. Wilson opened the drive by connecting with Williams for 36 yards to the OSU 39 and then found Williams again, who raced toward the goal line but was tackled just short at the one for a 30 yard gain that put the Buffs on the doorstep. Three plays later, Wilson surged into the end zone on a quarterback sneak to put CU back on top 21-17.

OSU countered, responding with back-to-back passes of 38 and 28 yards to move the ball all the way to the Colorado 9 yard line. Colorado's defense held, however, thanks to a pass break-up by Lamont Lester Jr. and a quarterback hurry by Toby Anene to force the Pokes to settle for another Keltner field goal that narrowed the gap to one point, bringing the score to 21-20.

With the half winding down, Wison found Moore, who made a massive catch on the right side, evading tackles for a 45 yard gain. The Buffs moved the ball down to the OSU 27, setting up Arnold, who connected on a 45-yard field goal to give the Buffs a 24-20 lead.

With 32 seconds left, Oklahoma State threatened to reclaim the lead after driving deep into Colorado territory to the CU 14. Lester came up with a huge defensive play, sacking Mestemaker for a nine-yard loss and Randon Fontenette broke up a pass on 3rd and 18 forcing Oklahoma State to settle for a 41-yard field goal, preserving Colorado's 24-23 halftime lead.

Tallying 24 points in the first half, Wilson completed 14-16 passes for a total of 222 yards and matched his CU career-high with two touchdown passes.

Out of the break, the game unraveled for the Buffs. On the very first play of the third quarter, Wison rushed up the middle but the ball was knocked out of his hands by OSU nose tackle Jerry Lawson and recovered by safety Quinton Hammons, setting the Cowboys up on the CU 13. Two plays later, Mestemaker found tight end Morgan McPhaul from three yards out to give Oklahoma State a 30-24 lead with less than a minute elapsed in the second half.

After the Pokes scored a touchdown on a William Mason 3-yard run to increase their lead to 37-20, Wilson tried to ignite a CU comeback, but was intercepted by LaDanian Fields at the Oklahoma State 33. The Cowboys then wound down the 3rd quarter by driving inside the CU 10 but were stifled again by the Buffs defense, settling for Keltner's fourth straight successful field goal, this one from 21 yards, to extend the lead to 40-24 with 14:17 to go in the game.

Mestemaker threw a 28-yard touchdown to Wyatt Young to make the score 47-24 before Wilson's second interception of the game led to three more Cowboys points and a commanding 50-24 advantage. Oklahoma State added one more touchdown with a 1:18 to go in the contest to close out the 57-24 victory.

"We got a locker room full of winners," Williams said. "We're on the right path. We're doing the right things. It's just we got to all come together as one and finish — put a full four quarters together."
"We're going to have a long week of practice," added Lampron. "[We'll] definitely correct the mistakes that we made, and just have to keep the same mindset, same energy, and just go out and execute next week."

UP NEXT

The Buffaloes will return home to Folsom Field Saturday, Oct. 31, for the Buffs Halloween Bash, facing off against Kansas State with kickoff scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on TNT. Tickets are available now HERE.

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