Career Closet grows from a pop-up to a permanent home
BY BRYSON THADHANI I SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
There is nothing glamorous about hauling garment racks through hallways or stuffing a sedan full of blazers. Still, that is where this story starts.
Hundreds gathered on Library Lawn, Tuesday, waving handheld United States flags in grief.
The turnout was for Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who was fatally shot last week at a college event in Utah. He was the CEO and cofounder of Turning Point USA.
OSU’s chapter of TPUSA worked closely with Kirk when he visited
The Women in Technology organization spent the summer calling alumni, building donation drops and turning storage units and back seats into short-term warehouses so their classmates could walk into fall recruiting
OSU in April for the American Comeback Tour. The chapter held a memorial as a way to remember him and continue spreading his conservative viewpoints and beliefs.
“We had Charlie last semester, and he meant a lot to our chapter,” said Levi Hubbs, president of TPUSA at OSU. “He was our founder, so we’re here honoring his legacy and continuing his work.”
See KIRK on page 3A
Hugh Jackman brings community together through music performance
with something simple but powerful: clothes that fit the moment.
For Chloe Dang, that meant learning skills outside her major.
“I’m an MIS (Managment Information Systems) major,
not marketing,” she said. “This is way out of my ballpark. But seeing people come to events and saying good things about it — it’s rewarding.”
Local food pantries bring awareness
Hunger Action Month
To imagine a perfect world, there are some things that cannot be left out — one of these is abundant food for all. You might know a mother who sometimes skips meals so that her children can eat, a child that regularly opens the fridge and sees nothing there or a student who goes through the day with nothing to fuel them. September is a month full of spreading awareness for different pressing topics and needs. This month, communities across the United States observe Hunger Action Month and fight to put an end to food insecurity.
See HUNGER on page 5A
Raynee Howell, Rhema Coleman
STAFF REPORT
Bryson Thadhani, The O’Colly
From left, Kim Strom, Madeline Chaney, Ashlyn Caldwell and Chloe Dang, as part of Women in Technology, created the Career Closet in 2024.
Payton Little, The O’Colly Students and community members pray together at Charlie Kirk memorial.
Hannah Cozens, The O’Colly
Oklahoma State students Andi Vandenboom and Johnny Bryan stock pantry at First Presbyterian Church of Stillwater during Hunger Action Month.
Avery Miller STAFF REPORTER
On This day
1996. 28 years ago.
The Strip isn’t dead — it’s just matured with the times. The rowdy party days of the Strip, the section of Washington Street south of campus, in the 1960s have been replaced with a more politically correct Strip for the ‘90s. Legal changes in state and local laws transformed a hot spot steaming with activity into a subdued site full of memories of a by-gone era.
Law changes prohibiting open containers of alcohol and an increase in the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 changed activity and traffic patterns from nighttime hustle to daylight bustle, said members of the Washington Street Merchants Association.
“In the 1960s, all you needed to drink was a college ID,” said Calvin Smith, owner of The Barn, 424 S. Washington St. BRENT BISHOP | CONTRIBUTING WRITER, 1996
Shooter of 3 in Stillwater appears in court for first time
The suspect in a Stillwater double homicide appeared in court Wednesday to hear his six charges.
Thirty-six-year-old Theodore DeMarrio McCloud of Langston is accused of shooting and killing two people and injuring another July 28 at a Stillwater apartment complex. His charges include two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, shooting with the intent to kill and engaging in a pattern of criminal offenses.
McCloud requested courtappointed counsel and is being held without bond.
The Stillwater Police Department responded to reports of gunshots in the 200 block of West Elm Avenue in the early morning hours of July 28. There, the police found two dead and one injured from a gunshot wound in an apartment complex.
Thirty-eight-year-old Vanessa Henry and 35-year-old Andrew Rice were pronounced dead at the scene. Henry, according to Stillwater police,
Social media editor Bryson Thadhani news.ed@ocolly.com
was McCloud’s girlfriend. Andrew Rice and his girlfriend Carman Murphy also lived in the apartment. Murphy was injured from a shot in the chest and arm while trying to run to get help from a neighbor, according to an affidavit. She survived her injuries and identified the shooter as McCloud.
McCloud fled to his home in Langston where two Langston University officers were waiting with guns drawn. LUPD said McCloud fired at the police first and officers returned fire. McCloud was captured in a foot pursuit after running out of ammo. No injuries were reported.
LUPD officers and Logan County deputies searched for the gun used in the double homicide and the police shootout at McCloud’s father’s house. It was found inside the dryer. Logan County was holding McCloud on two charges of shooting with the intent to kill at a $10 million bond.
He will appear in Payne County for a preliminary hearing Oct. 6. McCloud is set to appear before a Logan County judge Oct. 9.
Stillwater names new assistant city manager
The City of Stillwater has named a new assistant city manager.
Rachel Bernish will begin her new role overseeing several departments Thursday. She will monitor development services, engineering, electric and water utilities, building and fire codes and economic development.
Bernish served for the City of Chickasha for the past five years as assistant city manager and community development director. She oversaw several projects aimed at improving the quality of life in Chickasha.
Bernish said she looks forward to making strides to better the community in Stillwater.
“I look forward to working with
the City of Stillwater team and community members to continue improving the quality of life for residents and building on the city’s momentum for the future,” Bernish said in a press release.
Bernish’s previous experiences earned her several accolades. She was named 2023 Oklahoma Municipal League Woman of the Year and 2024 Young Professional of the Year by the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce.
City Manager Brady Moore said Bernish has a proven track record for problem solving and achieving goals.
“Her experience will help advance our community’s vision while ensuring operational excellence across key city services,” Moore said in a press release. “We are excited to welcome her to the Stillwater leadership team.”
Assistant photo editor Payton Little photo.ed@ocolly.com
O’Colly Staff
Jennifer Tapley, The Daily O’Collegian, 1996
Chance Marick, The O’Colly Suspect will appear for a preliminary hearing Oct. 6.
File photo The new assistant city manager previously worked for the City of Chickasha.
Raynee Howell CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Raynee Howell CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The culture of The Strip changed from the ‘60s to the ‘90s because of law changes.
Continued from 1
Students and Stillwater residents came together in mourning, and though somber, attendees found hope and comfort in one another through shared prayers and speeches. Mason Cottrell, a college field representative for TPUSA, spoke to the crowd about how Kirk was an inspiration and a good example to follow.
“Can you imagine, two years ago, thousands and thousands of people giving their lives to Jesus?” Cottrell asked. “That is the movement Charlie Kirk has built. If I could sum up what Charlie Kirk did, it was change the culture.”
Kirk was a proclaimed evangelical Christian and part of his ideology stemmed from his religious beliefs. Savannah Shull, an attendee who is not a student at OSU, said she admired his faith and willingness to stand up for his beliefs. Kirk’s violent death weighed heavily on her.
“I was in shock,” Shull said. “I couldn’t believe that somebody was just getting shot for their freedom of speech. I don’t understand.”
Shock was a common emotion for members of TPUSA at OSU. Hubbs, who met and worked with Kirk, fell into grief after hearing the news.
“I checked our group chat and I found out the news,” he said. “And I was just kind of lost, I think, it’s the best word to say it. I was lost for two or three days.”
Hubbs said he and others in the chapter dreamed of Kirk coming to OSU on his tour. Kirk was a prominent voice for young conservatives, and his vocalness inspired Hubb who had a longstanding passion for politics.
“It gave me a voice,” Hubbs said. “It made me feel like my thoughts were not invalid, and that gave me a reason to keep pursuing what I loved.”
Cottrell said this moment of darkness can be turned into inspiration. The same way TPUSA has inspired conservatives on OSU’s campus since 2021.
“Do not make this a flash-in-thepan moment for your life,” Cottrell said. “If you are here today, I ask that
you commit yourself fully. Commit yourself fully to this cause that you feel drawn to.”
OSU Baptist Collegiate Ministry
Director Paul Lewis asked the crowd to pray with him. He also spoke words of hope and encouragement to mourners, reminding them that life should be protected and kept sacred.
“The violence that we witnessed last week, and quite frankly, a lot of the last weeks and months and years, is absolutely an attack on the sanctity of life,” Lewis said. “Violence cannot create the meaning, or the purpose, or the healing that so many people seek. It only deepens the brokenness of our world.”
In remembering Kirk’s life as a podcaster, debater and conservative activist, Lewis spoke briefly on what he believes was the most important thing in Kirk’s life:
“Charlie once said that if he were to die, he hoped what people remembered most about him was his courage for his faith in Jesus Christ. Tonight, I can think of no better way to honor his life but to remember him in that way. Not by focusing on the politics or the debates, not that those things are not important, but focusing on the things that anchored Charlie.”
TPUSA at OSU’s secretary Ryan Williamson is mourning Kirk’s death with the masses. He said he finds comfort in the torch being passed on and Kirk’s legacy continuing with the next generation.
“Just look at how many people were touched by his work,” Williamson said. “It’s not just one torch being passed, it’s many of them.”
The vigil closed with the singing of the hymns “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art.” To some in attendance, religion offered relief, providing a sense of purpose for life amid tragedy. Lewis reminded the crowd that there can be hope and comfort in religious ideals.
“To the grieving, Jesus offers comfort,” Lewis said. “To those who are angry, He offers peace. For those who are uncertain tonight, He offers truth, and for all of us, He offers a hope and a life that cannot be taken away.”
Bryson Thadhani contributed to this report.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Bryson Thadhani, The O’Colly
The OSU chapter of Turning Point USA held a memorial service for Charlie Kirk.
Bryson Thadhani, The O’Colly
Oklahoma State Turning Point USA chapter president, Levi Hubbs, spoke about the impact Charlie Kirk had on his life.
Payton Little, The O’Colly
Stillwater community members and students gather at a memorial service to honor political activist Charlie Kirk Tuesday at Edmon Low Library lawn.
Bryson Thadhani, The O’Colly
A father holds his daughter at a memorial service for Charlie Kirk.
Lifestyle
Hugh Jackman brings community together through music performance
Question & Answer
Caden James STAFF REPORTER
Award-winning performer and actor Hugh Jackman performed a medley of his hit songs and covers for the opening of the McKnight Center season.
Songs from “The Greatest Showman” were paired with improvised songs and Frank Sinatra covers. Some were willing to travel to Stillwater to see Grammy-winner Jackson. Julie Cook, an educator and a legal advocate, drove four hours to see him with a gift she hoped to give him.
“It surprised me how young he looks,” Cook said. “Hugh Jackman looks so radiant and the concert was absolutely amazing. He entertained our hearts and our dreams. We can live our greatest dreams if we can work hard enough, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Those who couldn’t get tickets had the opportunity to enjoy the experience for free outside on the center’s 32 foot-LED wall. Rebecca Row, an OSU mechanical engineering major, was able to watch the show because of the screen.
“I have watched several Hugh Jackson musicals before, so I really enjoyed getting to see him do it on stage,” Row said. “He did a great job. He was still charismatic.”
Row said the weather was nice and there was shade, making the outside experience almost as good as inside.
Jackman did a special segment during the show where he brought in the OSU choir to sing the song “Oklahoma” from “Oklahoma!”
“I am so excited to see all of you on the stage again and to drive over
a bridge you make,” Jackman said after the performance, making a fun remark to one of the students who is an engineering major.
Isabella Summers, a senior and a member of the OSU choir, said she was beyond excited to perform alongside Jackman. She has been able to participate in several “once-in-alifetime experiences” because of the McKnight Center.
“Hugh Jackman’s energy is so contagious, and he made us so excited because he was so excited,” Summers said. “When you have someone who’s asking you to perform with him and they’re so excited, you’re just like, ‘Yes, let’s do it.’ We’re so thankful for the McKnight Center because that’s the only reason why we got to do this.”
But that’s not the only surprise Hugh Jackman had in store. Nia Sier, a student from Micheal and Anne Greenwood School of Music, had her own solo in the concert. She sang “Never Enough” from “The Great Gatsby.” Summers is also a good friend of Sier and was excited to see her perform.
“Nia is just fantastic... She’s so humble,” Summers said. “She didn’t tell any of us she was doing this until today. Nia is one of those people that you see her up there and she is the person who deserves this. And she is the person who I’m so thankful that we get to know her and then she did just a fantastic job and to see her up with such immense talent, it just makes sense.
“It’s awesome to see those people get these kind of opportunities, and you get to see it when they get it right.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
Students raise questions to Senator Hicks on state politics, advocacy
One student asked an Oklahoma senator visiting campus how she remains hopeful as a Democrat in a predominantly Republican state.
Senator Carri Hicks said her hopes stem from her belief that Oklahoma is a non-voting state.
Hicks, a Democratic senator representing district 40 — which covers parts of northern Oklahoma City — stood in front of a group of students at Oklahoma State on Monday as a guest speaker for Pokes in Politics, a new student organization that began this semester.
Abigail Carter, an OSU student studying multidisciplinary studies, founded the club to connect OSU students with senators. Hicks, as the first speaker of the club, addressed Oklahoma’s lowvoter turnout.
In the last general election, Oklahoma’s turnout rate was 53%, the lowest in the nation, according to a study from the University of Florida. Of the half of eligible voters who turned out, the Oklahoma State Election board reported 25% voted straight party for the Republican party. Hicks mentioned this fact as a reason for the Republican’s super majority in the house and the senate.
Low-voter turnout may contribute to the lack of Democrats in office, but Hicks encourages all eligible voters to register, research and vote for those who will represent them regardless of political affiliation.
“I start my day every morning thinking ‘We (Republicans and Democrats) are all here to make
Oklahoma better,’” Hicks said. “The day that I can’t say that in good conscience is a sad day. We’re gonna have very different views about what we need to do to push the state forward, but if we can all agree that we’re here to make this better, then ‘OK.’”
Students were able to ask Hicks questions about the current state of government and her experiences. The questions and answers that follow were the most pressing of the two-hour event:
Q: Can you get into the specifics of things you would personally advocate for?
A: “I don’t believe the government should be interfering in any healthcare services, and that’s in a lot of variety. If a doctor is prescribing a specific medication, and I go to fill that prescription and my insurance company says, ‘No.’ I’m sorry, what? That’s where it’s appropriate for the government to ask that private business to get out of the way so that the patient and the physician are able to make those healthcare decisions together. Same way I feel about reproductive justice and reproductive freedom. I find it fundamentally disturbing that my daughters have fewer rights than I ever did in this state, and I’ve lived here my whole life.”
Q: As a teacher, how do you feel about the effectiveness of public school education in Oklahoma?
A: “Let’s be serious about transparency and accountability when it comes to state funding. If those private schools are doing so much better, prove it. If those charter schools are doing so much
better, prove it. But it’s like, ‘No, they’re innovating.’ OK, well, now you’re picking winners and losers, and you’ve got three different sets of rules (for charter schools, private schools and public schools).
Everybody gets the choice to do what they want to do, but you know why they make their choices? Because they’re afraid. So that’s really not freedom, is it? If you’re motivated out of fear, but you’ve never been to the public school... they’re choosing a different option because they’re afraid of their local public school.
If we really wanted us to get serious about improving our education outcomes, we would fund the heck out of it, and we would ensure that any entity receiving dollars from the state is held at the same standard.”
Q: What is your view on cellphones being banned in public schools?
A: “We started the conversation two years ago, and when it started, the idea was we should be providing additional supportive resources for your schools to be able to enforce some kind of cell phone policy. If it is a local decision, and you’ve got time to get community buy in, specifically the students, to understand why this is potentially a solution to some of the challenges that are happening, and then additionally providing the resources to either lock it up or have cell phone lockers or pouches or whatever else. By the time it reached its final form, it was just an all-out ban. As an individual, am I purchasing devices for my own kids? No, I’m not. Am I allowing them to have access to those things in my home? No, I am not. But do I feel like as
a state lawmaker, that it is my role to ban it across all districts?
No, I do not
I just think that the way that it’s being implemented is not setting it up for the success that it could have. I do think that there are lots of stories that have evidence that show how incredibly helpful it can be.”
Q: What is your vision for the future?
A: “The day that I come home and look my three kids in the eyes and say, ‘I have done everything I possibly can to fight for a brighter future’ is
the day I leave politics entirely. And so I mean staying focused on the things that matter most to me is rooting out corruption and doing something about it. We have so many pending cases and investigations right now that it makes me absolutely sick that no one’s doing anything about it.
And I think that’s why folks have the mistrust of government, is because they assume every politician is crooked.” Quotes have been edited for clarity.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Payton Little, The O’Colly
Hundreds gathered on the plaza to watch a simulcast of the Hugh Jackman concert.
Bryson Thadhani, The O’Colly Oklahoma Senator Carri Hicks was the first guest speaker for a new campus organization called Pokes in Politics.
Raynee Howell CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Robin Herrod, Courtesy of The McKnight Center Hugh Jackman performed songs from “The Greatest Showman” and several other works.
Continued from 1 Career
Two years ago, Women in Technology hosted its first “Dress for Success” workshop, inviting boutique owners and local leaders to teach the differences between business casual and business professional. The event drew students but also revealed a bigger problem: advice only went so far if students didn’t have the clothes to put it into action.
Kim Strom, adviser for Women in Technology, saw the issue and decided to gather donations. For year two of the workshop, the group added a pop-up career closet the following day.
“Last year we were able to provide 50 women with 75 pieces of clothing free of charge,” Strom said. “The stories people told us and how appreciative they were was inspiring. We knew we had to do it again.”
This fall, they did.
Only bigger. What started as a handful of racks in a borrowed room came back as a full room of suits, blouses, belts, shoes and bags, with volunteers on the floor pairing outfits and answering questions. The pop-up sat one step away from a larger change already in motion. OSU WIT is building a permanent Cowboy Career Closet in the Student Union. It will live in a renovated basement space with fitting areas, inventory, set hours and staff. The closet will operate year-round and students can keep what they take.
The permanent space exists because alumni decided to back it. Gary and Claudia Humphreys established an endowment with a lead gift and set a goal of $3.6 million through alumni donations. WIT and the OSU Foundation are still raising money and finalizing a launch, but the direction is set. The need proved it.
Strom saw the gap up close. She said clothes should never be the reason a student skips an interview or a career fair.
“We never want that barrier of how you feel about yourself walking into an interview or any kind of business environment to keep you from being your best self,” Strom said. “It’s important to feel confident, and this gives students that chance.”
Confidence takes work on the back end. Chaney took on the project this year and watched the numbers multiply.
“I said, ‘Hey, I want to take charge this year because I was so passionate about it last year,’” she said. “And I think it could grow pretty big. Not realizing it was gonna grow this big.”
By August, it had. OSU Tulsa served as a drop site. Alumni filled multiple boxes. Executive members turned cars into delivery vans.
“We received 1,148 donations,” Chaney said. “With this, our WIT team was very giving in their time and resources to collect these items from alumni and at our drop off locations.”
Dang handled marketing while learning on the fly.
“I’m promoting it on our socials and making the graphics,” she said. “Challenging, but rewarding when you see them up there.” She also helped with the least photogenic part of the job.
“My job was picking up all the clothes and coordinating,” she said earlier in the process. “My car was filled, but honestly, it was a great turnout in the end. It is overwhelming with all the clothes and stuff, but it is a great problem to have.”
The work behind the scenes never really stopped. Racks had to be found. Hangers had to be bought. A lot of clothes arrived wrinkled and needed steam. The group borrowed racks from the Student Union and assembled pop-up changing tents so students could try on jackets and pants without trekking to a bathroom. They blocked out hours around internships and classes, then stayed late to sort sizes by color and cut.
For event chair Jessica Zeleke, the prep blurred into a checklist that kept growing.
“Definitely, a lot of outreach to different people, coordinating
Lifestyle
times for the drop off locations, the pickup times,” Zeleke said. “The Alumni Association helped get the word out. The Student Union let us borrow four racks. We ordered the tents, the changing tents. Sorting the clothes, getting all the clothes out of everybody’s car, into the room, too. We’re going to have to steam clothes as well. We’ve done a lot. We still have a lot of work.”
She said the hours landed better because of who she was working with.
“My favorite thing is working together with the WIT girls,” she said. “We get to spend time together and work for a cause we all care about. It’s going to help students, and that makes it worth it.”
The doors opened for the popup at 9 a.m. Students were already waiting.
“It was packed full,” said Kylie Trigo, a student who came last year and returned. “I got here at nine o’clock and started, and there were so many people here already.”
Trigo came in with a few basics.
“I had a pair of pants and maybe a cotton top,” she said. “I didn’t have any blazers or anything, but they had so many options here.”
She knew exactly where the clothes would go next.
“I’m thinking about career fairs, interviews as well,” she said. “I want to take it into the future because I want to go corporate.”
She also said the right outfit changes how you walk into a room.
“It helps me feel more professional and just comfortable, because you never know if you’re dressed well,” Trigo said. “I was showing my friends and family because they have some really cute stuff, even though it’s all donations. It’s all very put together.”
That reaction is the point. The short-term closet solves a near-term problem. It also builds habits and expectations for the long run, which is where the Cowboy Career Closet takes over. The WIT team has plans for set hours, a coordinator and student interns who will gain retail and inventory experience while working the floor. Students will be able to walk in, find a suit jacket that fits and walk out ready to meet an employer.
Strom said accessibility matters as much as inventory.
“This one will have set hours,” she said of Stillwater’s new space. “It will be staffed.”
One detail will not change.
“You don’t have to return them,” Strom said. “You can, if you decide you know, ‘I didn’t like it, someone else may like it.’ Donate it back, but otherwise, yeah, it’s yours to keep and use at future events.”
The project runs on donated time as much as donated clothes. Strom said WIT receives support from the Management Science and Information Systems department. Much of the setup — signage, temporary dressing rooms and racks — came together through small contributions and students willing to drive across town and fill their trunks.
Zeleke put a number on the hours in the room. She was there from around 5 to 7 p.m. one night, then back at 9 the next morning to sort with Dang, left around 11:30 and came back again. The week of the pop-up event, executives lived in the basement of the business building and in the Union, steaming blazers and arranging shoes by size. That work gets invisible fast, but it was
the difference between a pile of clothes and something that looks like a store. It also meant students could show up without worrying they do not belong.
For students who did not grow up around professional dress, the Dress for Success workshop helped translate the code. What counts as business casual. When a cardigan works and when a jacket is safer. How to make a simple outfit look like you did not throw it together in a rush. Zeleke said having stylists and local pros on hand humanizes that advice and lets students try it on in real time.
“I’m most excited for people to come in and find something that they are confident in wearing to an interview,” she said before the event. “I’m excited to see how students interact with the clothes and the people here. I’m excited for our work to be presented polished, and for students to actually be able to sift through the clothes and find something that will meet their needs.”
The closet stocked men’s and women’s clothing this time, answering a gap Strom noticed last year when a few men came looking for items and the racks had nothing for them. The fix was simple. Add shirts, ties, belts and jackets in a range of sizes and make it clear everyone on campus is welcome.
What makes the project work is that it speaks to more than one problem at once. There is the cost of clothes. There is the stress of figuring out what to wear. There is the confidence hit when you do not know if you got it right. There is the time crunch of trying to hunt down a blazer between a lab and a part-time shift. The closet erases a lot of that.
It also gives students a reason to help each other. Alumni who once hauled a garment bag to GallagherIba send back suits. A student who landed an internship because she felt prepared will drop off a dress next spring because she wants someone else to have that shot. Trigo, whose minor is fashion, said she intends to do exactly that.
“I’m very thankful,” she said. “I think I’ll definitely be able to give back after I graduate.”
Strom said the goal is simple. Take appearance off the list of reasons a student misses a chance.
“Having those fashion professionals there to help you make the right choices and not overwhelm you, kind of creating that capsule wardrobe, which is so important when you’re first getting started and on a limited budget, is really vital,” she said.
Chaney said she did not expect the closet to scale this quickly, but she is not surprised by the response. Students want to show up prepared. Alumni remember what it felt like to be new.
“It’s been a lot,” Chaney said. “But people care, and that is why it works.”
When the permanent Cowboy Career Closet opens in the Union, the pop-up will not need to shoulder it alone. Students won’t have to wait for a one-day event or hope their size is still on the rack by afternoon. They can walk downstairs between classes, find what they need and head to an interview without stopping at a register.
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To people like Taylor Riley, a volunteer at Pete’s Pantry and student at Oklahoma State, working to put an end to hunger is about more than just providing supplies; it’s about supporting her peers and serving others boldly.
“College is where we get an education, and a meal should not be a stressor,” she said.
Hunger Action Month is meant to shed light on a topic few pay attention to. Realizing the extent to which hunger affects many is the beginning of solving the problem.
“When we get closer to the holidays everyone starts thinking, ‘Let’s do a food drive for this or that,’ but people are hungry and in need of assistance at all times of the year,” said Emily Rice, an administrative assistant at Our Daily Bread Stillwater. “I think that Hunger Action Month is a great way to show where the need is, what we’re doing and how other people can get involved.”
According to the World Food Program USA, up to 720 million people worldwide are facing chronic hunger. That means 1 in 11 people are not consuming enough food to lead an active, healthy life. 319 million people are facing extreme hunger, 42.9 million people are on the brink of starvation or worse, and 1.9 million people are facing catastrophic hunger.
Another study from Temple University found 36 percent of college students do not have enough to eat. To help curb this statistic, Pete’s pop-up Pantry, located in the Student Union, has shifted hours to accommodate the needs of all students, and according to OSU’s coordinator of basic needs, Brian Blevins, the pantry has seen positive growth in the amount of students accessing the facilities.
Donations made by individuals, student organizations and community partners like Our Daily Bread and the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma make Oklahoma State’s food resources possible and accessible for all.
While students or faculty members at OSU can easily utilize Pete’s Pantry, there are other resources within reach as well. Our Daily Bread offers Payne County residents who qualify financially the opportunity to shop for free groceries once every 28 days. If there is still struggle within the 28-day time period, an emergency food bag may be given as support.
The First Presbyterian Church on Duncan Street hosts a free Saturday brunch with hot meals and sandwiches as well as maintaining a free small pantry outside of the church in between the fellowship hall and main building, stocked with volunteer items such as non-perishable goods and menstrual hygiene products.
To find other resources available in the area you can look at stillwater.findservices.net and click on the food icon.
How to help
Volunteering, donating, or raising awareness is a good place to start. If wanting to stay near campus, volunteer opportunities at Pete’s Pantry and Pete’s Eats, Oklahoma State’s food recovery initiative with dining services, are available most days of the week. Food donations of recent purchases are also accepted. Donating money to either Pete’s Pantry or the regional food bank of Oklahoma allows resources to be distributed more cost effectively.
Spreading awareness for food insecurity does as much good as donating time, money and resources. The more citizens know about fighting hunger, the more progress will be achieved.
“I remember seeing a statistic once that students are willing to encourage their friends or classmates or peers to access resources, but they’re not willing to do it themselves,” Blevins said. “So if you have a classmate, friend or any type of peer that you would encourage to use the pantry, go with them and you might realize that this is a resource that you could use too.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
Bryson Thadhani, The O’Colly
Students getting clothes from the WIT Career Closet.
Lifestyle
OSU Art Festival highlights student artists, small sellers
Aliyah Young STAFF REPORTER
Oklahoma State’s Student Union was buzzing with energy and vibrancy as talented artists set up to sell their artwork.
The OSU Art Festival provided a platform for a myriad of uniquely talented student artists to promote themselves, sell their work, build community and share their passion.
Customers and supporters came to browse and shop. From intricate paintings to buttons, the diverse mediums of the different artists were on showcase, attracting crowds and admirers.
For many, the art festival was more than a sale. It was a new experience and opportunity to put their work out there.
One student had an exciting new experience selling art at the festival.
Gabriela Zelaya, a first-year student, took a stride into her artistic journey as she sold her prints.
“I’ve been posting my art for about eight years and this is my first year selling,” Zelaya said. “I was nervous at first, but once I got here everybody was super nice.”
First-time sellers were welcomed into the festival with enthusiasm. Though there were many new sellers at the show, returners made their mark and connected with past consumers.
Aggie Gillen is a returning seller who is energetic about the community her work creates.
“It’s been going great,” Gillen said. “I love talking to people and it makes me feel good, just putting my art out there and people are loving it.”
Gillen’s familiarity with the festival garners consistent support.
“This is my third time doing the art festival and it’s great to see recurring people,” Gillen said. “I love giving my art out to the world, sharing what I see and how I paint.”
The atmosphere was radiant with enthusiasm. Local creatives awed at the works of artists like Gillen.
Another artist who attracted lots of positive attention is Jasmine Colman. Colman felt inspired to share her art on a whim.
“What inspires me is mainly the beauty of seeing everything turn out the way you want it to,” Colman said. “I kind of just showed up and it went better than expected.”
The Art Festival is more than an opportunity to profit off of art. For these students, it was a chance to be seen for the hard work and dedication that goes into their craft.
Apple’s September event reveals new tech
Apple Watch: familiar faces, minor changes
Bryson Thadhani SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
Apple’s September 9 event opened with familiar polish.
A sweeping video montage tied circles, squares and glass together as if the entire ecosystem had been designed in one breath. It was sleek. It was precise. It was Apple.
Then came the products. AirPods, Apple Watch, iPhone. The company called it “the biggest leap ever for iPhone,” but the event felt more like incremental steps than a groundbreaking stride.
AirPods Pro 3: the standout AirPods Pro 3 carried the spotlight. They keep the $249 price but now ship with five ear tip sizes instead of three, IP57 water resistance and new health tracking features like heart rate and calorie burn tied into the Fitness app. Battery life jumps to eight hours with active noise cancellation and 10 hours in transparency mode. That’s a notable bump from the six-hour ceiling of the previous generation.
The real headliner is live translation. In a demo, a wearer’s words were translated by Siri in real time, displayed on the iPhone for someone not wearing AirPods. Add to that a more natural transparency mode and upgraded spatial audio, and AirPods Pro 3 became the one product that truly felt fresh. This is the only product from the event completely worth buying.
The Apple Watch Series 11 was pitched with glossy customer stories, a tradition Apple never skips. The new watch adds 5G, a tougher build that Apple claims is twice as scratch resistant, and expanded health metrics. It can warn about possible hypertension, although the feature is not yet FDA approved. Sleep tracking now includes a “sleep score,” pulling from competitors like Whoop and Oura.
Battery life improves to 24 hours, finally matching the daylong use Apple has promised for years. The $399 starting price remains, with aluminum and titanium cases available.
The Watch SE 3 gets an alwayson display and wrist temperature sensing, marketed as useful for tracking ovulation. It supports fast charging that can add eight hours of life in just 15 minutes, priced at $249.
The Watch Ultra 3 pushes to 42 hours of battery adds a brighter display and includes satellite connectivity, though the updates feel more iterative than revolutionary at $799.
iPhone 17: the “leap” that wasn’t Apple unveiled four new iPhones. Tim Cook called the iPhone 17 “incredible.” The base model now starts with 256 GB of storage at $799, runs on the new A19 chip and offers a 120 Hz display for the first time on a non-Pro phone.
The main camera shoots at 48 megapixels, but defaults to 24. A new Center Stage front camera allows for wide-angle selfies without rotating the phone.
The iPhone Air, priced at $999,
felt like an experiment. Apple has tried smaller models before and dropped them. This one carries the same 48 MP sensor as the base phone, adds dual capture video and leans on accessories like a MagSafe crossbody strap that feels like a gimmick.
The issue with the Air is the lack of a .5 camera. The main camera that Gen-Z buyers use. I don’t know why they would take this away, but it will only contribute to the inevitable failure of this experiment.
The iPhone 17 Pro drew boos on design from some corners of the internet. It swaps glass for a ceramic shield back and a titanium alloy frame, and introduces a vapor chamber cooling system. Its triple 48 MP cameras stretch up to 200 mm of zoom, and Apple shot the event itself on a 17 Pro to prove its worth. Still, it starts at $1,099. It is worth noting that all September Apple events post-COVID have been filmed with the most recent phone.
The Pro Max stretches only in size, with no real differences beyond the larger frame.
Verdict: polished, but predictable Apple events have always balanced theater with technology. This one kept the theater but leaned heavily on polish rather than surprise. AirPods Pro 3 stood out with real innovation in translation and battery life. The iPhone 17 Pro brought technical depth but little visible excitement. The rest felt safe, like updates that could have been bullet points instead of keynotes.
Apple called it a leap. For most users, it looked more like a steady walk forward.
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Teaguen Harbour, The O’Colly Students gather to enjoy artwork on Sept. 12.
Courtesy Apple
Apple announced changes to Airpods, Apple watches and others at its September event.
Twenty One Pilots continues storyline from ‘Blurryface’
Marcus Mesis STAFF REPORTER
Back again after just a year, Twenty One Pilots has released their eighth studio album, “Breach.”
This album is supposed to wrap up the story set in motion with the album “Blurryface.” It’s another mix of alternative rock and alternative hip-hop, and it throws in some experimentation with an electro-style of music in it.
The story has two layers to it: one is the world crafted by Twenty One Pilots centering around the fake continent of “Trench” and the rebellion and escape of Clancy, played by Tyler Joseph, and his attempt at escaping from Dema, the city controlled by a religion that adores death. The other side is the real world implications and metaphors of dealing with mental illnesses, specifically depression.
The album sounds excellent and many of the songs are reminiscent of the previous albums. The first two songs of the album, “City Walls” and “RAWFEAR,” have heavy sounds that are most similar to “Trench,” with its heavier sound that leans more into alternative rock. “City Walls” features some of Joseph’s rapping on it, which has gotten much better.
For someone looking for a heavy song in both lyrics and sound, “RAWFEAR” is the song for you.
The throwback continues with “Drum Show” bringing back elements of “Blurryface” especially with the drums. This song lets the drums speak and lets them speak loud at times.
The one area the album is lacking is its pop songs. While there are moments it shows through such as “Center Mass,” this sound is dying to be explored more by the band.
There are no real low points on the album and not a song that could be considered a skip on it.
The sound is amazing and for those not familiar with Twenty One Pilots and the lore, this album serves great on its own and doesn’t need anything to be listened to and enjoyed.
Anyone who has listened to other albums from Twenty One Pilots will likely have noticed the story going on behind the lyrics. This album is serving as a wrap up on the story dealing with depression and mental health struggles.
This album takes the story in a slightly different way than other albums featuring more from Josh Dun in terms of singing. He has played the Torchbearer, the leader of a rebellion group — the Banditos. This group has been attempting to rebel against Duma and the oppressive control the city has. “Breach” picks up with Clancy joining up with the Banditos to serve as a figurehead for the rebellion akin to Katniss Everdeen.
The album goes through how Clancy is attempting to beat Nico, the leader of the city of Dumas religion.
Without spoiling it for anyone, the ending is not what many people expected. Though it makes sense when looking through the lens of the story about the battle with mental health.
Review
Lecrae’s ‘Reconstruction’:
they still appear on “Reconstruction.” Lecrae needs to put time into what makes “Reconstruction” good, not what makes Christian rap bad. The album is further soiled by a very weak theme.
GOAT debates are prevalent in all media.
MJ or Lebron, Kendrick or Drake, Michael Jackson or Elvis, Beatles or Queen, Brady or Montana. This debate does not exist within Christian hip-hop. When considering lyrics, production, discography, influence or any other category, Lecrae is Christian hip-hop’s only answer.
As the genre reaches a new level of quality and popularity, Lecrae is still the head that leads it on. Whenever a Lecrae album drops, it’s more than just music. A Lecrae album shows a turn in the genre. His 10th studio album, “Reconstruction,” is no exception.
The question is no longer if Christian hip-hop can be good. 2024 and 2025 saw people gather to CHH’s good messages, good songs and good vibes. The question is if Christian hip-hop can be great?
Lecrae makes a decent argument. Some of the best Christian rap songs you will ever hear are on this album. “Die for The Party,” “Headphones” and “Still Here” blow many secular songs out of the water. Lecrae has mastered the many things Christian hip-hop does best. He brings positivity and hope to the mic. He points out the flaws that make us human. And where secular rap stops, Lecrae goes further and tells us to better them.
Finally, he keeps his finger pointing to Jesus, stating you can not have Christianity without Christ. Christian hip-hop fans will no doubt have a field day with this album. But for those who are not die-hard fans, is the album in its entirety good enough to justify a listen? “Reconstruction” is when it’s great. However, like most albums of any genre, “Reconstruction” fails to replicate this greatness all the way through.
“Reconstruction” is plagued by its length, bad songs and weak theme. The album is 19 tracks long. We should not shame an artist for making more music, but we should consider quality over quantity. Some songs need improvement. Other songs, like “Too Much,” are terrible. Corny lines, weak beats and lame verses have ruined Christian hip-hop for decades. Sadly,
In “Reconstruction,” Lecrae wants to rebuild the church from true discipleship to Jesus. That is an awesome theme. The problem is Lecrae has used this theme for the past five years. Nearly every Lecrae song since 2020 has had similar rhetoric: “The church has been about games and not giving glory to God,” “Christians are obnoxious self-righteousness,” etc. Lecrae makes statements that anyone who spends 20 minutes inside a church will figure out themselves.
Many songs on the album have this rehashed theme. It is tragic because Lecrae shows really interesting angles on other songs. He said his mom linked him up with a crack addict to be his producer on “LIFE.” On “Mad At Today,” Lecrae tells the story of this man who, after giving his life to Christ, can finally live for something. On “Die For The Party,” Lecrae said that even though he is hip-hop’s moral compass, his good deeds are as useful as “period blood-stains on a dirty rug.” All of these are cool and creative stories.
The problem with Lecrae is not that he is incapable of great stories. The problem is that he can, but still falls back into generic rhetoric. Luckily, “Reconstruction” has a good side. If Christian hip-hop has set any precedent the past year, it is this: we can make rap as good as everyone else. “Reconstruction” proves it. Beside a few exceptions, every song offers creative lyrics, good songwriting and excellent beats. In addition, the album is greatly improved by some features. Killer Mike and T.I. on “Headphones” make it one of the album’s best songs. Torey D’Shaun remains the King Midas of features on “Bless You.” “Reconstruction,” without the highs and lows, is solid music.
The quality, songs and popularity of Christian hip-hop is in the best place its ever been. “Reconstruction” is an example. No doubt we have answered the first question. Christian hip-hop can be good. However, “Reconstruction” still leaves the world wondering if it can be great. Time will tell if Christian hip-hop can produce great music. In the meantime, we will have to be fine with good.
Courtesy Creative Commons
Twenty One Pilots is continuing the storyline of 2015 album “Blurryface.”
Courtesy Creative Commons
Lecrae, a Christian rapper, released his tenth studio album at the end of August.
Richard Robertson STAFF REPORTER
Hispanic Student Association protest
The Supreme Court lifted a lower court’s injunction that prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Los Angeles from approaching people based on race, ethnicity or language. The Hispanic Student Association at OSU held a peaceful protest Thursday to voice its opposition to the ruling.
“We stand against the injustices brought by ICE, the harmful policies of the current presidential administration, and the growing hate directed toward our community.” - HSA
A student wears a Mexican flag while
Chance Marick, The O’Colly
The Hispanic Student Association held a protest to voice opposition to a court ruling.
Chance Marick, The O’Colly
marching and chanting.
Chance Marick, The O’Colly Students hold signs and march to voice their opinions on ICE detaining immigrants.
Stone Brown, The O’Colly Community members join the protest to support the Hispanic Student Association.
Chance Marick, The O’Colly Students march through campus in protest of the Supreme Court lifting a Los Angeles court ruling.
Cowboys eyeing rebound
McCoy’s serious attitude key to OSU
For several years, one word defined college football in the state of Oklahoma.
Bedlam.
With Oklahoma’s move to the SEC Bedlam is no more. But that move didn’t mark the end of instate football matchups.
Starting last season, Oklahoma State and Tulsa revived the Turnpike Classic and have inked a contract for the game to be played through 2031.
For the students on OSU’s campus, having an instate competition is still important to them.
“This game keeps a sense of Oklahoma tradition and pride alive as rivalries fade,” Jake Nichols said OSU and TU crowds have filled stadiums when the two sides have met. Cowboys coach Mike Gundy emphasized the importance of the game Monday at his weekly news conference.
“Attendence is beneficial for both schools in my opinion,” Gundy said. “It’s a good series for all the right reasons, it’s easy to get back and forth. It gives (in-state fans) an opportunity to get to the games.”
Cowboy players sat on a plane for more than three hours and let it marinate.
They just suffered the second-worst defeat in Oklahoma State football history, a 69-3 bashing at the hands of Oregon. It wasn’t just going to linger on the travel back to Stillwater, either. OSU had 13 days with a bye week before its next game and an opportunity to rebound.
“It’ll stick with you for a while,” Cowboys wide receiver Shamar Rigby said. “You never want to go out like that.”
On Friday, though, OSU can attempt to reverse its fortune. The Cowboys (1-1) are set to host Tulsa (1-2) at Boone Pickens Stadium at 6:30 p.m. It’ll be the second straight meeting between the programs in the long-standing Turnpike Classic series.
Oklahoma State football players and coaches have quickly learned Bryan McCoy Jr. has only one mode.
He’s serious. All the time, 24/7. He doesn’t know any other way.
“You’re like, ‘Dude, chill,’” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “Well, he’s like that all the time, and that’s why he performs at a pretty high level.”
McCoy, who transferred to the Cowboys after the 2024 season, has made a seamless transition from Akron and has quickly shown he’s capable of being an impactful linebacker at the Power Four level. And although he’s new to the program, his buy-in is rubbing off on OSU players and coaches.
Chance Marick, The O’Colly
Mike Gundy said linebacker Bryan McCoy Jr. (right) has emerged as one of the Cowboys’ top leaders.
Bryson Thadhani, The O’Colly OSU and Tulsa have played 77 times, and will continue to play through the 2031 season.
Cayden Cox STAFF REPORTER
See
In Week 1 against UT Martin, McCoy starred in his Cowboy debut with 14 total tackles and helped OSU limit the Skyhawks to 3.1 yards per rush. The next week against Oregon, he was one of OSU’s few bright spots in its 69-3 loss, chipping in nine total tackles.
As Gundy exited the field after the blowout loss, he shared a moment with a frustrated McCoy. The OSU coach knows how passionate McCoy is and wanted to help his linebacker stay grounded.
“He has the mental makeup to like beat himself up all the way on the plane home because it’s so important to him,” Gundy said. “I just wanted him to know that I get it, I understand it, and that this is how things have to move forward.”
On Monday at a press conference, Gundy was asked which players stepped up as leaders after the Oregon loss. He highlighted McCoy in his answer.
McCoy’s passion quickly stood out to his teammates and coaches because they could tell he’s not just in it for himself. He takes every rep seriously because he doesn’t want to feel like he’s coming up short for the rest of the defense.
OSU adds FCS quarterback transfer
Parker Gerl CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Oklahoma State football is getting immediate quarterback help.
On Wednesday, Pokes Report reported the Cowboys have added veteran FCS quarterback Noah Walters to their roster. Walters’ player profile is also now listed on OSU’s online football roster.
The addition of Walters comes after Zane Flores made his first-career start at quarterback against Oregon in Week 2 while Hauss Hejny remains sidelined after breaking a bone in his left foot in OSU’s season-opener.
Walters, a 6-foot, 190-pound redshirt junior, spent two seasons at North Alabama and started 11 games in 2023, completing 224 of his 382 passes for 2,346 yards and 21 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. Walters also averaged 213.2 passing yards per game.
After sitting out the 2024 season, Walters has two years of eligibility remaining.
A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, Walters competed against Flores in high school and was the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Wednesday.
cowboy Gameday
vs.
WHEN: Friday, 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Boone Pickens Stadium
TV: ESPN
RADIO: KXXY-FM 96.1
SERIES: 45-27-5
LAST MEETING: 45-10, OSU (2024)
Even one missed assignment is too many, the linebacker said. He doesn’t give himself any grace.
“I can’t give myself a break, man,” McCoy said. “My team works hard, and my coaches work hard. Everybody really works hard. You just have to take on that responsibility and be like, ‘All right. If I let one down, then it’s on me. I’m letting down everybody.’”
Last season, McCoy was in his third season at Akron and putting up standout numbers. In 2024, he was an All-MAC selection for the second straight year and ranked No. 8 in the FBS with 10 tackles per game. He finished the season with 120 total, 54 of which were solo stops.
Now, McCoy is on pace for more
than 100 tackles this season and will continue to be a key piece for coordinator Todd Grantham’s defensive rebuild.
McCoy credits that serious attitude for allowing him to make the jump to Power Four football, and with only one nonconference game remaining on OSU’s schedule, he’ll soon get to put his ability on display against Big 12 Conference opponents.
“When the hype gets going, who is going to be the most hyper-focused?” McCoy said. “I’m one of the guys. I’m going to turn it on the best. I’m not going to be doing all the screaming and everything like that. I’m just gonna turn my focus on and get it going.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Students
Continued from 1
The Cowboys and Golden Hurricane playing on the gridiron also brings unity throughout the state. OSU student Amari Green said the matchup is impactful to Oklahomans.
“I think it brings unity that Tulsa is an Oklahoma school and so is OSU,” Green said. “We’re too close to each other for it to not be a rivalry.”
The Turnpike Classic isn’t a new rivalry. It has a long history. Friday’s matchup will be the 78th time the Cowboys and Golden Hurricane face off, a series that dates back to 1914.
The rivalry between OSU and TU carries a lot of history, as OSU leads the all-time rivalry with a 45-27-5 record and is currently on a 10-game win streak in the series.
In recent years, the Golden Hurricane’s best chance to upset the Cowboys came in 2021. TU and OSU were going back and forth for three quarters. Tulsa
took a 17-14 lead with just under 11 minutes left.
On the ensuing kickoff, OSU kick returner LD Brown picked the ball up at the 3-yard line, cut and returned the kick to the endzone untouched, flipping the momentum and giving the Cowboys a 21-17 lead. OSU ended up winning the ‘21 matchup 28-23.
1995 had another big moment in the series. The Cowboys looked to be cruising to their fourth straight victory over the Golden Hurricane, leading by 20 with 5:41 left in the game. Tulsa then flipped the script and shocked OSU, scoring three unanswered touchdowns in the final five minutes of the game. Tulsa scored a six-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left, completing the comeback for a 24-23 victory.
With a history of competitive games, Joseph Boldt, a freshman on OSU’s campus, thinks the history of the rivalry plays a significant role.
“I think it could go back to its glory days,” Boldt said, about
the progression of the Turnpike Classic. “Back in the 1990s, it was a classic, it was up there with Bedlam.”
From 1990 to 1995, every OSU vs Tulsa game was decided by one score, with the Cowboys winning four of the six contests. In recent years however, OSU has dominated the series, winning the last 10 contests.
The Turnpike Classic also brings state pride, as Eli Redman, a native Oklahoman noted.
“I think it means a lot for our state pride,” Redman said. “Especially if we lose to a small school like Tulsa.”
The rivalry between TU and OSU brings a different type of rivalry to the table than Bedlam does. Boldt noted OSU and OU hate each other, but the Golden Hurricane and Cowboys rivalry is similar to a battle between siblings.
“I think it’s like a brothertype rivalry,” Boldt said. “I feel like with OU and OSU it’s more like enemies, but with OSU and Tulsa, it’s more like a sibling rivalry.”
Chance Marick, The O’Colly
Bryan McCoy Jr. is in his first season at OSU and has become a top defensive player for the Cowboys.
Payton Little, The O’Colly
OSU students say the OSU-Tulsa football series is beneficial for the state, especially without Bedlam.
Chance Marick, The O’Colly OSU added a quarterback to its roster on
Week 4 Big 12 football power rankings
Weston Wertzberger STAFF REPORTER
The Big 12 Conference didn’t have much movement in this week’s power rankings. Each team that played a nonconference game last week won.
With more conference games starting to come into play, here’s where everyone stacks up in The O’Colly’s Big 12 football power rankings.
No. 1: Iowa State (AP No. 12; 4-0, 1-0 Big 12)
The Cyclones were battletested against Arkansas State late in the game, but survived on the road for a 24-16 win. ISU is 4-0 for the second consecutive season, the first time in school history the Cyclones have opened with four straight wins in back-toback years.
No 2: Texas Tech (AP No. 17; 3-0)
Quarterback Behron Morton continues to be a force for the Red Raiders’ offense, tossing four touchdowns against Oregon State in a 45-14 win. Morton has thrown at least three touchdowns in all three games and has 11 on the season.
TTU has a big test on the road against No. 16 Utah in the teams’ first meeting since 1973.
No. 3: Utah (AP No. 16; 3-0)
The Utes had a bumpy first half against Wyoming but delivered four consecutive touchdown drives in the second half en route to a 31-6 victory.
No. 4: Arizona State (2-1)
The Sun Devils have swept Texas State in a home-andhome series in the past two seasons, beating the Bobcats 34-15 this past weekend. ASU will head to Baylor and face a critical matchup in the Big 12, with the two programs facing each other for only the second time ever.
No. 5: TCU (2-0)
The Horned Frogs took care of Abilene Christian in their home-opener, as quarterback Josh Hoover passed for four touchdowns in a 42-21 victory. TCU’s next game is against DFW-rival SMU. The Horned Frogs are looking to avenge their 66-42 loss from last season.
No. 6: BYU (2-0)
The Cougars were on a bye week in Week 3 and will return to action this week for their last nonconference game at East Carolina. BYU is unbeaten on the season and beat Stanford 27-3 in its last outing.
No. 7: Baylor (2-1)
The Bears cruised past Samford, as quarterback Sawyer Robertson and running back Bryson Washington each scored multiple touchdowns in a 42-7 blowout win.
No. 8: Kansas (2-1)
The Jayhawks were on a bye week in Week 3 and will begin their conference slate this week against West Virginia. KU most recently suffered a 42-31 loss to in-state rival Missouri.
No. 9: Arizona (3-0)
The Wildcats held a comfortable 14-point lead against Kansas State at halftime before falling apart and allowing K-State to tie a few minutes into the third quarter.
But Arizona was able to clean things up with two field goals and held off K-State in a technical nonconference game 23-17. With the win, the
Wildcats are off to their best start since 2015.
No. 10: Houston (3-0, 1-0)
The Cougars look like a real Power Four squad in year two in the Big 12 after a 36-20 conference win against Colorado. Quarterback Conner Weigman threw for 222 yards and ran for 83 yards and two touchdowns. The Cougars are now on a bye week.
No. 11: Cincinnati (2-1)
The Bearcats steamrolled Northwestern State in a 70-0 shutout victory, as quarterback Brendan Sorsby threw five touchdowns — all in the first quarter — as the offense earned 605 total yards. The Bearcats now have a bye week.
No. 12: West Virginia (2-1)
Coming off a disappointing loss to Ohio, the Mountaineers responded with
a 31-24 comeback win against rival Pittsburgh.
Running back Tye Edwards scored three touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime. WVU will be big underdogs in their first conference game against Kansas on the road this week.
No. 13: UCF (2-0)
The Knights were on a bye week in Week 3 and will return for their last nonconference game against North Carolina. They recently earned a 68-7 win over North Carolina A&T.
No. 14: Colorado (1-2, 0-1)
Houston outmatched the Buffaloes in the second half and suffered a 36-20 loss after allowing 431 total yards of offense. Colorado is 0-2 against Power Four opponents this season and is still sorting out its quarterback situation.
The Buffaloes will not face a Power Four opponent this
week, though, as they’re set to face Wyoming in their first meeting since 2009.
No. 15: Oklahoma State (1-1)
The Cowboys were on a bye week in Week 3 and will host in-state rival Tulsa in a rematch on Friday night after defeating the Golden Hurricane 45-10 last season. OSU is also looking to bounce back from its 69-3 loss against Oregon two Saturdays ago, the second-worst defeat in program history.
No. 16: Kansas State (1-3, 0-1)
The Wildcats failed to score in the final 25 minutes of the game against Arizona and suffered their third loss. K-State started the season as a Big 12 favorite, but is currently one of the biggest disappointments in the conference.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Connor Fuxa, The O’Colly
Deion Sanders’ Colorado team is one of several Big 12 teams struggling through three weeks.
Tulsa, OSU have juggled quarterbacks this season
Both Tulsa and Oklahoma State have started two different quarterbacks this season.
And the reason behind both teams doing so is the same. Injuries.
For TU, Kirk Francis started the first two games against Abilene Christian and New Mexico State, but suffered a concussion late in the second quarter against NMSU. Francis would not return to the game, and missed the Golden Hurricane’s next game against Navy.
Against Abilene Christian, Francis went 20-of-31 passing for 218 yards with two touchdown passes. When he exited against NMSU, he had completed 13 of his 23 passes for 100 yards.
Due to Francis’ concussion, Baylor Hayes got the start for TU against Navy. He also played in the remainder of the NMSU game, going 14-of-17 for 134 yards and a touchdown pass.
Against Navy, Hayes went 22-of-37 with 189 yards and one touchdown. The Golden Hurricane lost 42-23.
Francis and Hayes have been competing for the starting spot in Friday’s game in practice, and the decision has not been made yet.
Lamb provided an update on both quarterbacks at his weekly news conference.
Against OSU, both Francis and Hayes could potentially play.
“(Francis is) still in protocol, but he’s on his last test where he has to do a fatigue test in practice,” Lamb said. “If he passes the baseline after practice on Tuesday after exertion, he will be free to play. The plan is for me to practice
both guys and see who has the best week of practice.
“Baylor obviously gives you a little bit of dynamic with his legs, but Kirk gives you the experience and probably a little more accuracy in the passing game.”
OSU coach Mike Gundy gave his thoughts on TU’s team at a press conference Monday.
“They played better last week (against Navy),” Gundy
said. “In my opinion, they’ve improved. They have the other quarterback (Hayes) that’s playing now and it looks like to me he’s more comfortable and they’ve gotten better. I don’t want to speak for them, but I thought they played their best game last week and they’ve continued to improve.”
For OSU, Hauss Hejny remains sidelined after breaking a bone in his left foot
in Week 1 against UT Martin. Since then, Zane Flores has assumed the starting quarterback role for the Cowboys. He started to feel comfortable and settled in with the offensive system as the game against UT Martin progressed, but he had a rough outing against Oregon, which included two pick-sixes. Friday’s game provides Flores an opportunity to bounce back
Tulsa
Continued from 1
OSU coach Mike Gundy said Monday that Cowboy players had an “emotional and enthusiastic” practice Sunday night and that they’ve had an all-around strong response fresh off the open week. Now, OSU is looking to close the curtain on what happened in Eugene, hone in on the Golden Hurricane and pick up its second win.
“We graded the (Oregon) game, corrected it and then moved on,” Gundy said. “We don’t really go back to it, much less with it being over a week.”
Rushing game improvements
It didn’t affect the outcome of the game, but the Cowboys did improve in the rushing game in Week 2, and are looking to continue that trend against the TU defense Friday.
OSU put up 144 rushing yards against the Ducks, averaging 3.4 yards on 42 attempts. But running backs Kalib Hicks and Trent Howland — two of the Cowboys’ featured backs — averaged 4.5 yards and 5.2 yards, respectively.
In Week 1, Hicks only managed 2.7 yards, and the OSU team as a whole averaged only 3 yards on the ground. The Cowboy offensive line was able to open more running lanes against the Ducks, too.
“I think our attack during the practice, during the week and stuff, too (helped),” offensive lineman Bob Schick said. “We had more guys in the film room studying on their own and everything, and just being able to attack and just have a mindset to try to go out there and play the best game that we can.”
Through two games, OSU has spread the rushing workload among Hicks, Howland, Freddie Brock V and Rodney Fields Jr. Gundy said he doesn’t see the Cowboys trimming the running back rotation as of now.
before the first conference game.
“He’s coming along,” Gundy said. “Obviously he’s young and inexperienced. I don’t think he had played in a game in over two years, two and a half years, something like that. So there’s some development going on with him and he should get a little bit better every day.”
“We haven’t been in a position to say, ‘OK, one of these guys is taking over,’” Gundy said. “We are fortunate that we have a number of guys that we feel confident that can have success.”
Weekday games, stadium atmosphere
Almost two weeks without football has Cowboy players itching to return to a game environment.
Especially in a time when they’re looking to kickstart a turnaround.
“You definitely want to let loose, let that anger out that you’ve been keeping in,” Rigby said.
Friday’s game will be a blackout game at BPS. OSU is asking fans to wear all black to match its uniforms.
The Cowboys, who have regularly held blackout games in years past, didn’t have one last season. Now, several new players — 62 on a 114-player roster — will see it for the first time in Stillwater.
“I love them night games,” Rigby said. “And we going blackout with the jerseys. I’m loving it (and) I know the team is loving it.”
Friday’s game will mark the second time this season OSU will play on a weekday. The Cowboys also played against UT Martin in Week 1 on a Thursday night.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark has previously said he wants conference members to play on weekdays to become more accessible to viewers. So, Gundy is already preparing for more Friday-night games in the near future, even if they feel uncommon now.
“They’re going to be more and more (of them) with the media and the changes,” Gundy said. “I know that the commissioner wants us to be accessible to whatever the media wants, and obviously, they’re in charge. So, I think there will be more of them.”
Courtesy Tulsa World Archive Tulsa coach Tre Lamb said the Golden Hurricane could play two quarterbacks against OSU Friday night.
Will Thorogood STAFF REPORTER
Bryson Thadhani, The O’Colly
Mike Gundy said OSU players had great practice sessions after their blowout loss to Oregon.
OSU soccer notes: Geoffroy shining, underclassmen stepping up so far
Oklahoma State soccer battled through several injuries in nonconference play and managed to go 4-3-1 in its first eight games.
With 10 Big 12 regular season matches remaining, here’s an evaluation on how Cowgirl soccer has performed so far. Underclassmen stepping up Injuries to upperclassmen Laudan Wilson, Chloe Wright, Lexi Lee, and Xcaret Pineda have been costly, but the underclassmen have done a good job in stepping up and rising to the occasion.
Sonora DeFini started the Cowgirls’ last four games in nonconference and scored two goals, recorded two assists and put up 13 total shots.
Landry Fieker is also on the rise. She played a big impact in the win over Oral Roberts on Sept. 4 with an assist on a cornerkick goal by DeFini.
Emmy Hedden had a solid finish to the nonconference slate, too. She started in her first game of the season against East Texas
A&M where she tallied a goal and an assist. Hedden earned Big 12 Co-Freshman of the Week honors after that performance.
“Our younger players have really had to grow up quick,”
OSU assistant coach Dustin Stein said. “Some of them just hit the ground running right away, but a lot of them, you’re trying to give them minutes here and there and see how they handle situations.”
Geoffroy a standout player in her senior year Ellie Geoffroy has been a big part of a solid Cowgirl defense. this season. Her efforts helped OSU in outshooting their opponents 122-96 in nonconference and getting it more corner kicks, as the Cowgirls had 53 to their opponents’ 30.
She recently contributed on the attacking side by scoring the first two goals of the game against East Texas A&M in the ninth and 13th minute of the match.
“I believe we definitely haven’t peaked yet, which is good,” Geoffroy said. “Every single game there’s something to improve and something to build on, and I believe that our coaches are giving us a strong foundation of
what we need to do early on.”
Marks’ transition into goalkeeper Marks was the backup goalkeeper to Grace Gordon last season, appearing in only two games. She had a great relationship with Gordon as she learned a lot from the veteran goalie.
Marks mentioned how after Gordon graduated, she went some time without a mentor, and that it challenged her.
“I was really lost because I feel like in my whole life I’ve kind of had someone to look up to whether that was a goalkeeper coach growing up or now Grace Gordon,” Marks said. “It was weird for me to try to experience something where I didn’t have a person to look up to, but I was able to deal with it, and now I have Caroline (Dill) and Murphy (Sheaff) pushing me every single day to just remember why I’m here.”
Since taking over as starting goalie, Marks recorded 30 saves with a .750 save percentage through OSU’s first eight games and started in each outing,
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COWGIRL SOCCER REMAINING SCHEDULE
Sept. 25: at Arizona State
Sept. 28: at Arizona
Oct. 2: at Texas Tech
Oct. 6: vs BYU
Oct. 10: vs Kansas State
Oct. 16: vs UCF
OSU soccer leaning on defense, backline
Cayden Cox STAFF REPORTER
Logan Marks could not ask for a better support group in front of her.
The Cowgirls’ sophomore goaltender has been trusting her backline fully as she’s been getting settled in her first year starting in net.
“Our team psychologist came and talked to us the other day, and he made us talk about things that we trust each other with,” Marks said. “Everyone was really true and genuine like they meant it. I think that helped us realize that we do genuinely trust each other.”
Oklahoma State’s defensive line is one of its most experienced units. The Cowgirls are leaning on the leadership of Jazmin Brown and Ellie Geoffroy. Both Brown and Geoffroy have multiple years of experience competing at the Big 12 level. Brown spent her past three seasons at Kansas State before transferring to OSU this season. Geoffroy is in her third season with the Cowgirl program, and was an anchor for a defensive unit that led the Big 12 in clean sheets last season, totaling 15 on the season.
So far this season, the Cowgirls back line has had some bumps, including giving up 4 goals to Oklahoma, but has since cleaned things up, giving up just two goals in its last three nonconference games.
“I think with Oklahoma we struggled with clearing balls and tracking runs,” Marks said. “We had a good practice that week about tracking your mark and not letting people pass them. Against Nebraska, it was really clear that we were on them and I was able to come out for high balls, and (the defenders) weren’t letting people past them”
The Cowgirls have faced challenges after playing a difficult nonconference schedule, which included three teams ranked in the U.S. Coaches Top 25. OSU has dropped contests to No. 12 Mississippi State as well as No. 24 Oklahoma and No. 25 Rice. The Cowgirls also tied against Nebraska, and the Cornhuskers have yet to lose a contest this season. The tough nonconference slate wasn’t deflating for the Cowgirls, but rather presented confidence to know that they can play with anybody.
“I think the biggest thing is we just want to see our team compete,” assistant coach Dustin Stein said. “The non conference portion for us has been pretty difficult, but we still came out with a winning record in nonconference ... We’ve got a team that can play with anybody, so we’re just excited to see our team compete.”
OSU’s backline has taken pressure off of Marks in recent games, as it has limited the number of shots on goal the opposition is getting. In OSU’s games against East Texas A&M, Oral Roberts and MSU, theyheld them to 10-combined shots on goal. Against MSU, the Bulldogs managed just one shot on goal, which was the lone goal of the game.
Having the ability to communicate on the run, like the Cowgirls do, has decreased the goal scoring opportunities for the oppositions.
“We collaborate with each other well,” Geoffroy said. “We can communicate and not even talk. We trust each other, and that’s been built for a few seasons now.”
With veteran presence, the Cowgirls are leaning on the defense as the season progresses.
“The strong point of our team probably is the defense,” Stein said. “We don’t give up a lot of opportunities.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Oct. 19: at TCU
Oct. 23: at Cincinnati
Oct. 26: at West Virginia
Oct. 30: vs Baylor
Nov. 3-8: Big 12 Conference Tournament
Davis Hicks, The O’Colly Logan Marks’ defense has been key for OSU soccer so far after she assumed the starting role going into 2025.
Cody Garcia, The O’Colly
OSU soccer coach Colin Carmichael is getting big-time production from several underclassmen.
Will Thorogood STAFF REPORTER
Valencia captures first world title; Forrest, Bravo-Young fall short
Zahid Valencia made his second appearance at the Wrestling World Championships this past weekend in Zagreb, Croatia. Compared to 2023, he felt “more experienced, stronger, faster, more technical” entering the tournament.
This year, the Cowboy RTC athlete dominated the 86 kg bracket from start to finish and now preserves his first world championship crown. At age 28, he became the U.S.’ oldest first-time world champion in 19 years.
“I’ve been faced with so much adversity throughout the years, but I feel like I was courageous enough to keep going, make the sacrifices that I made to make the move (to Stillwater),” Valencia said in a video posted by USA Wrestling on Instagram. “I’m so proud of myself for going through the adversity and all the work that I’ve done.”
Those sacrifices Valencia made paid off on the mat and didn’t allow a single point in five matches on Saturday and Sunday, outscoring opponents 49-0.
Despite the bracket being one of the toughest in the competition, with matches against two-time world champion Kamran Ghasempour in the semifinals and six-time Japan national champion Hayato Ishiguro in the finals, the team USA representative felt no pressure at all.
Valencia was originally with his alma mater’s club at Arizona State but made the move to Cowboy RTC a year ago to learn from coach David Taylor, a threetime world champion and Olympic champion who competed in the same weight class as Valencia.
“Being able to learn from someone like him, it’s been amazing,” Valencia said. “That’s ultimately why I made the move. He’s beaten me so many times, so I wanted to learn from him, get into his mindset of what it takes to become a world champion. I was able to do it, replicate it and bring home another one for Team USA.”
OSU commit Jax Forrest was on the cusp of earning the 61 kg bronze medal at his first Senior World Championships, but it came with controversy after the buzzer sounded. After a challenge from Kazakhstan’s bench about a singlet grab removed a point and the 9-9 tie from Forrest, he ended up falling to Assylzhan Yessengeldi, 10-8.
FloWrestling interviewed USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender after the match, and Bender stated USA Wrestling had filed a complaint with the United World Wrestling (UWW). Still, no new information had been made publicly available yet.
Team Mexico representative Roman Bravo-Young also lost his third-place match at 57 kg in his first Senior World Team appearance, falling to Armenia’s Arsen Harutyunyan by a 7-4 margin.
Three Cowboy RTC athletes were eliminated early Saturday. Japan’s Rin Sakamoto at 57 kg went 1-2 with an injury default out of the repechage.
USA’s Wyatt Hendrickson at 125 kg and Uzbekistan’s Mirzo Khayitov at 74 kg both went one-and-done in their brackets.
Coach Taylor discussed how the fame and opportunities Hendrickson received after his successful NCAA Championship run in March may have caused a distraction from training. With the early loss, it will serve as a “great learning lesson” for the future at the highest stage in international wrestling.
“I think now moving forward, it hurts him, and it’s a tough learning lesson,” Taylor said in a video posted by FloWrestling YouTube video. “Now, he’s just got a lot of opportunity and potential to continue to get a lot better, too. So, I think despite what he was able to accomplish in March, there’s still the next thing, and (Saturday) was not an awesome day for him, but he’s going to have better days.”
Cowgirl tennis returns from Battle in the Bay, prepares for upcoming matches
Four members of the Oklahoma State women’s tennis team began their season competing at the Battle in the Bay tournament in San Francisco.
Play commenced on Sept. 11, with the finals occurring Sept. 14.
Lucia Peyre stepped on the court competitively for the first time in over a year after suffering a knee injury during the Sweet 16 matchup in 2024. She partnered up with Rose Marie Nijkamp and made a solid doubles run.
Their first matchup was against Jana Hossam Salah and Imogen Haddad from USC. The Cowgirl duo won 8-2 to move to the next round.
Marcela Lopez and Gracie Epps fell short in their opening match against Sacramento State’s Lou Baudouin and Irene Riva to end their run.
Lopez lost to the top-seeded No. 37 Anastasiia Grechkina from Pepperdine, 4-6, 4-6. Third-seeded No. 50 Epps also fell short, 6-3, 4-6, 5-7, in her match against Washington State’s Eva Alvarez Sande.
Nijkamp entered single play ranked No. 53 and a four seed. She defeated Cal Poly’s Kennedy Buntrock, 6-3, 6-2. No. 101 Peyre followed with a 6-2, 7-5 win against Riva, sending both players to the round of 16.
The Cowgirls’ singles domination continued as Nijkamp defeated Hossam Salah, 6-3, 6-0, and Peyre finished out the day with a 6-1 win against Liam Oved from Pepperdine.
In the quarterfinals, Nijkamp and
Peyre defeated Lera Alexin and Ema Bubalo from Colorado, 8-3. The Cowgirls improved to the doubles semifinals.
Nijkamp defeated Alexia Harmon, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2. Peyre beat her opponent, USC’s Emma Charney, as well with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 score.
The two met in the singles semifinal where Nijkamp bested Peyre, 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the singles final on Sunday.
In the final, Nijkamp fell to Grechkina, 6-0, 6-3, to conclude her successful opening weekend in the bay.
The Cowgirl duo lost 8-3 to Grechkina and Harmon in the doubles semifinals to complete their doubles stint in the Battle in the Bay tournament.
With a few days to rest, the team will return to action in the ITA All-American Championships beginning Sept. 20 - Sept. 28 in Cary, North Carolina. The Cowgirls have previously found success in the tournament, but couldn’t close things out.
Following that tournament, the Cowgirls will return closer to home and compete in the ITA Central Regional Championships in Norman, the ITA Sectional Championships in College Station, Texas, the ITA Conference Masters in San Diego and the NCAA Individual Championships in Orlando to round out the fall season.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Cowboy RTC on X
Zahid Valencia outscored opponents 49-0 this past weekend.
File Photo, The O’Colly
Lucia Peyre won a doubles match 8-2 with partner Rose Marie this past weekend.
Gina Foster STAFF REPORTER
1 Games
Tulsa vs. OSU
Tulsa (27-24)
Sports
The o’colly sports picks
vs. Iowa
(23-21)
(32-24)
ABOUT OUR GUEST PICKER:
Braden Bush is a former O’Colly Sports Editor and reporter. He now covers Oklahoma State athletics and high school sports for Stillwater News Press.
SAM MITCHELL
Explosive plays. If the Cowboys can get a couple of 20-plus-yard passes and break off some big runs, they should be able to maintain a comfortable lead throughout the game. A strong offensive performance will also give OSU a muchneeded confidence boost to finish strong and not fold in a big moment. Explosive plays will be key in righting the ship for OSU.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST KEY FOR OSU AGAINST TULSA
FRIDAY NIGHT?
PARKER GERL
The Cowboys need to win the turnover battle. The proof is in the pudding. OSU is 14-2 in its past 16 games when winning or tying the turnover battle. And if the Cowboys can manage a couple of takeaways, it would take pressure off quarterback Zane Flores and force Tulsa’s defense to get more stops.
OPEN YOUR HEART TO GOD!
“Open your heart and let him in. God will remove all your sorrow and sin. He may not pass this way again, so open your heart and let him come in.” These are words from an old hymn.
Many struggle so hard to take this step, not wanting to give up their independence; not wanting to humble themselves before God. In the Psalms, David said: “When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all the day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” (32:3-5 NLT)
It seems so simple, and it is! Yet, so many
struggle with honesty and humility. These qualities are of great importance with God. The truth is another has paid the penalty for your sins and mine. That is the good news! What we could not do (get rid of our sins), Jesus did by dying in our place. Therefore, “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven,whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” (Ro.4:7-8 NIV)
Again, blaming friends or relatives will not help; getting religious does not help, thinking you are among the “better” people does no good. Trust what God has done for you through Christ. Get honest and humble yourself before God. Confess your sinfulness, and God will freely forgive. You will be free of guilt and stand innocent before God. Then you can begin a lasting and fruitful relationship with this great and loving God.
Parker Gerl Weston Wertzberger
Sam Mitchell
Luke Mazza
Cayden Cox
Braden Bush
While TU has played both Baylor Hayes and Kirk Francis at quarterback, Richardson has been the constant in the Golden Hurricane offense. A former Cowboy and sixth-year senior, Richardson is TU’s leading rusher this season. He’s averaging 5.6 yards per carry this season and has found the endzone twice.
The Golden Hurricane has counted on Richardson to wear out opposing defenses with downhill rushing in short yardage situations.
Players to Watch: OSU vs Tulsa
Dominic Richardson, RB, No. 21
3 STORYLINES
Can OSU get its receivers involved?
The Cowboys have talented playmakers at wide receiver, such as Terrill Davis, Christian Fitzpatrick and Shamar Rigby, but have been unable to get the ball in their hands consistently. Those three receivers have only combined for nine receptions through the Cowboys’ first two games. With OSU looking to unlock Zane Flores’ pocket-passing ability, getting the ball into the hands of his outside playmakers could help Flores find success in his second-career start.
Will
OSU
Elijah Green, CB, No. 7
Green has a knack for finding the ball. He is a spark for the Golden Hurricane defense and has recorded four of Tulsa’s five takeaways this season. The sophomore cornerback is tied atop the NCAA with three interceptions and had two picks last week against Navy. Watch for Green to find his way to the ball and force a turnover.
establish a run game?
A big emphasis on the Cowboys’ offense entering the season was utilizing their running backs. OSU has tried to establish the run game, running the ball 84 times in the first two games, but has had little success. OSU has managed just 3.2 yards per carry, and Coach Mike Gundy has said that he wants that number closer to 4 or 4.5.
Can the Cowboys win the turnover battle?
The Golden Hurricane has five takeaways in its first three games of the season, getting the ball back to its offense often. The Cowboys didn’t turn the ball over against UT Martin and had a key takeaway, ending a Skyhawk drive deep in OSU’s territory. However, against Oregon, the opposite was true for OSU, as Zane Flores threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. In a game with not a lot of separation between the two teams, winning the turnover battle could be key.
