It's as if the Big 12 tailor made the Oklahoma State-Iowa State showdown for Halloween.

Early in the week, Iowa State announced that it would wear its black uniforms for the game. Then on Wednesday, Oklahoma State announced that it would wear all-orange for the game. It's as close to a Jack O Lantern matchup is college football gets.

That said, there is plenty at stake for Oklahoma State (5-2, 3-1 in Big 12) in this game. One more victory makes the Cowboys bowl eligible for the first time since 2023. It all also helps them keep pace with the rest of the one-loss teams in the Big 12 as they try to surprise everyone by claiming a berth in the Big 12 Championship game.

So long as the Cowboys keep winning, they have a chance. Iowa State is coming off a bruising loss to Arizona and wants a little redemption. They'll have homefield advantage and a sold-out crowd behind them.

Here's all you need to know before Saturday’s game.

How to Follow Along

Matchup: Oklahoma State (5-2, 3-1 in Big 12) vs. Iowa State (3-4, 1-3)

When: Saturday, Oct. 31

Where: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa

Time: 6 p.m. CDT

Watch: FS1 (Tim Brando, Devin Gardner and Josh Sims)

Listen: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb and Deion Imade)

Internet/App Radio: The Varsity Network

Satellite Radio: SiriusXM 262 and on the SiriusXM app

All-Time Series

Series History: OSU leads, 34-22-3

In Ames: OSU leads, 15-14-1

In Stillwater: OSU leads, 19-8-2

At Neutral: Never met

First Meeting: (1926) OSU 13, Iowa State 0

Last Meeting: (2025) Iowa State 20, OSU 13

Last OSU Win: (2022) OSU 20, Iowa State 14

Last Iowa State Win: (2025) Iowa State 20, OSU 13

Morris vs. ISU: 0-0

Rogers vs. OSU: 0-1

Iowa State Scout

Head Coach

Jimmy Rogers | First season at Iowa State and fourth year as head coach

Record: 3-4 at Iowa State and 36-13 overall.

Iowa State Players to Watch

Jaylen Raynor | QB | Sr. | 6-1, 208 | Raynor was benched during the Cyclones’ 39-3 loss to the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, but he will start for Iowa State against Oklahoma State. But he’ll have to play much better than he did a week ago. Through seven games the former Arkansas State star has 1,107 yards passing with seven touchdowns and four interceptions, along with 145 yards rushing with three scores.

Aiden Flora | RB | So. | 6-0, 195 | Everything flows through Flora, who has waited three years to be the guy at Iowa State. He can run the football, he can catch the football he can throw the football and he even returns punts. So far, he's rushed for 716 yards and six touchdowns. Because he's a threat to do so many things, the Cowboys must keep track of him the entire game.

Omari Hayes | WR | Sr. | 5-9, 175 | The Florida native is the team’s leading receiver with 19 catches for 237 yards and a touchdown. Because Raynor doesn't throw the football that much, Hayes has to maximize his opportunities when they come his way. He's the receiver most capable of breaking off a big play when the Cyclones need one.

Sullivan Schlimgen | LB | So. | 6-1, 220 | The production is gaudy. In just seven games the Sioux Falls, S.D., native has posted 71 tackles, including 37 solo stops, along with two sacks and a fumble recovery. He's even broken up four passes. If Flora is the star of the offense, Schlimgen is the star of the defense.

Seth Johnson | CB | So. | 5-10, 180 | The secondary is not creating many turnovers, but Johnson is the one who's probably the most capable. He doesn't have an interception, but he's tied for the team lead with four pass breakups.

Outlook

Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris was asked earlier this week about the similarities between his program and Iowa State's, considering that both he and Rogers are first-year head coaches at their programs and both managed huge roster flips in the offseason.

Morris has been aware of Rogers since he was the head coach at South Dakota State and believes that Rogers will eventually get the Cyclones back on the right track. For now, it's been an up-and-down season for Iowa State, and it's only win in Big 12 play so far was a shootout against West Virginia.

It seems the biggest difference between Oklahoma State and Iowa State is the quarterback play. Raynor was a good quarterback at Arkansas State, but the sledding has been tougher for him in Ames. That's why the quarterback change midway through the Arizona game was significant. There's potential he may have less slack if things get sideways. The backup is Connor Moberly.

Oklahoma State Scout

Head Coach

Eric Morris | First Season at Oklahoma State and eighth season as head coach

Record: 5-2 at Oklahoma State and 51-36 overall.

Oklahoma State Players to Watch

Drew Mestemaker | QB | r-So. | 6-3, 215 | Mestemaker is putting together a remarkable season, one that may force him to make a move to the NFL draft a year earlier than his head coach hoped. He’s thrown for 2,326 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. He’s thrown for at least 300 yards in each of his last five games.

Caleb Hawkins | RB | So. | 6-0, 219 | Since the Cowboys started using him in the passing game more often, Hawkins has amassed nearly 400 yards of total offense in the last two games. He's sitting at 712 yards rushing with just two touchdowns. The latter is a product of all the work Mestemaker is doing in the passing game. Morris says there isn't a single thing Hawkins doesn't do well, and that includes pass blocking.

Justin Bowick | WR | Jr. | 6-5, 209 | Bowick is doing exactly what he hoped he would be doing when he transferred to Oklahoma State — catching a lot of passes. The redshirt senior has passed all his career bests with 34 receptions, 607 yards and seven touchdowns. Everything is gravy statistically and with each passing week he's impressing NFL scouts for next April’s draft.

Ethan Wesloski | LB | r-Sr. | 6-1, 234 | Wesloski has been named the Big 12 co-defensive player of the week three times this season and is pointed toward all-Big 12 honors at the end of the season. There isn’t a more dynamic player on this defense as he has 70 tackles and 3.5 sacks through seven games. There’s a chance he can pass the 113 tackles he had last season with North Texas.

LaDainian Fields | CB | r-So. | 6-1, 176 | Fields is the reigning Big 12 co-defensive player of the week after he picked off two passes against Colorado on Saturday. He now has three interceptions in the last two games and has four interceptions this season, which leads all players in the Big 12. Remember when Morris said back in August that Fields had all-Big 12 potential? He's starting to fulfill it.

Outlook

Morris acknowledged on Tuesday that he's looking for more for his program than a bowl game. But he also understands that after two straight losing seasons getting to a bowl game would be a building block for the Cowboys. That said, as long as the Cowboys keep winning, they have a chance to get to the Big 12 Championship game in Arlington. In corporate speak, they would call that a stretch goal.

The offense has been as effective as one could ask for the past two games. The Cowboys racked up nearly 600 total yards against Colorado. The defense still hasn't put together a complete game, but it has its moments. And if Oklahoma State can continue to effectively create turnovers as they did against the Buffaloes, it gives them a chance in every game they play.

This is the first of two road games for the Cowboys. After this game, they go to Kansas State. If they can make it through the next two road games with victories, a pivotal matchup with Texas Tech at home on Nov. 14 awaits.