Tulsa had its own new-look pieces on display. Second-year coach Tre Lamb handed the offense to new coordinator Kevin Barbay, and quarterback Baylor Hayes rewarded the move by going 17-of-24 for 227 yards and a touchdown, connecting with Oran Singleton Jr. for a 20-yard score that pushed the lead to 17-3. Damari Alston did the rest on the ground, punching in 2 rushing touchdowns, including a 29-yard back-breaker. Oklahoma State came in as the clear favorite on paper, but Tulsa's staff clearly had a plan for what a first-game Cowboys offense would look like.
The game was still touch-and-go into the third quarter, with Tulsa clinging to a 10-3 halftime edge before the Golden Hurricane offense found its footing. Singleton's touchdown catch made it 17-3, and even after Mestemaker found the end zone for his first score as a Cowboy to cut the deficit to 17-10, Oklahoma State couldn't find another answer. Alston's second touchdown run put it away in the fourth quarter.
The fourth-down numbers tell the real story of Oklahoma State's day: 2-of-6 on the money downs, including a stop with just over 8 minutes left that ended the last real threat of a comeback. Combine that with the line trouble that started with Sexton's injury on the first series, and Morris' debut turned into a lesson in how thin the margins are early in a coaching transition.
Neither team walks away from this one with much to feel great about long term. Tulsa is still trying to escape a 4-8 season and a wave of turnover at receiver and running back, and Oklahoma State just watched its highly-touted quarterback throw 2 interceptions in his first start. But for one Saturday in Tulsa, the Golden Hurricane made sure the Cowboys' new era started 0-1.