MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia is 3-0.
Oklahoma State is 2-1.
If you looked at those records before the season started, you probably would not have thought much about it. But after three games, both teams have given people a reason to pay attention heading into Saturday night. Read more: Setting the Scene: WVU, Oklahoma State meet in Morgantown.
West Virginia is coming off a 38-27 win over No. 25 Virginia in Charlotte. Oklahoma State has already knocked off then-No. 6 Oregon and followed that up with a 59-0 win over Murray State.
Now, the two teams meet in Morgantown for their first Big 12 game of the season.
West Virginia has been running the football
The biggest thing that has stood out about West Virginia through three games has been what it has been able to do on the ground.
The Mountaineers are averaging 281.3 rushing yards per game, which ranks sixth in the country. They have also rushed for at least 247 yards in each of their first three games.
Cam Cook has been the team’s leading rusher with 317 yards on 70 carries.
Michael Hawkins Jr. has also been a big part of it.
The Oklahoma transfer has 322 rushing yards through three games, along with a strong start at quarterback.
Hawkins put together his best game yet against Virginia, accounting for all five Mountaineer touchdowns. He ran for three and threw for two, helping West Virginia pull away from the Cavaliers in the second half.
Now he gets his first Big 12 game in a West Virginia uniform.
That could be important for a Mountaineer team that is trying to carry its early-season momentum into conference play.
Oklahoma State has already played some big games
Oklahoma State’s season has gone in a different direction.
The Cowboys lost to Tulsa 24-10 in their opener, but they responded with one of the biggest wins of the early college football season.
Oklahoma State beat Oregon 39-31 in Stillwater, handing the Ducks their first loss and giving the Cowboys some early momentum.
They followed that up by shutting out Murray State 59-0.
Quarterback Drew Mestemaker has been a big part of the offense.
Mestemaker followed first-year head coach Eric Morris from North Texas to Oklahoma State after throwing for 4,379 yards and 34 touchdowns last season.
He also showed that he can hurt a defense with his legs against Oregon, rushing for 109 yards and breaking off a 75-yard touchdown run.
West Virginia’s defense will have to deal with that under the lights.
The Mountaineers have improved defensively after the season opener, holding UT Martin to 170 passing yards and Virginia to 197.
Big 12 play starts now
The first three games are over. Now the conference schedule begins.
West Virginia and Oklahoma State were both picked in the top half of the Big 12 in an unofficial preseason poll put together by 16 conference beat writers. Oklahoma State was picked eighth, while West Virginia was 11th.
Neither team has followed that exactly so far.
Oklahoma State already has a loss, but it also has a win over a top-10 team. West Virginia has yet to lose and just knocked off a ranked Virginia team.
Saturday will also be the 17th meeting between the two programs.
Oklahoma State leads the series 10-6 and has won five straight in Morgantown. The Cowboys won the last meeting at Milan Puskar Stadium in 2023, before West Virginia answered with a 38-14 win in Stillwater in 2024.
This time, the Mountaineers get the Cowboys back at home.
Read more: Everything you need to know: WVU hosts Oklahoma State in primetime conference opener
Saturday’s game will also be a Gold Rush, with fans encouraged to wear gold. The 1981 Peach Bowl championship team will be recognized during the first quarter as part of its 45-year reunion.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be televised nationally on FS1.
After three games of non-conference play, West Virginia finally gets its first look at Big 12 football.
And it comes against an Oklahoma State team that has already shown it can surprise some people.
It is a Saturday night in Morgantown.
The lights will be on at Milan Puskar Stadium, the gold will be out in full force, and there should be plenty of excitement in the air as West Virginia opens conference play at home.
Stay up to date with WV Sports Nation for more WVU Athletics coverage.
