The Oklahoma State Cowboys have one shot at the Big 12 Championship Game. It requires them to win out and that starts with their showdown with the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The Cowboys will host the Red Raiders at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium. Yes, that’s the correct game time. The two teams drew a late window on ESPN and based on how the two teams played last week everyone is expecting a shootout.

It's a game that features the deep roots of Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris at Texas Tech. He played for the Red Raiders under Mike Leach, and he was offensive coordinator at Texas Tech for Patrick Mahomes. Morris said earlier this week one of his closest friends is on the Tech coaching staff.

But none of that matters Saturday. For the Cowboys to squeeze into the Big 12 Championship game they need to beat the Red Raiders, win their remaining two games and then hope they get a lot of help. It's a slender thread but as long as the Cowboys keep winning, they have a chance.

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

How to Follow Along

Matchup: Oklahoma State (6-3, 4-2 in Big 12) vs. Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1)

When: Saturday, Nov. 14

Where: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, Okla.

Time: 8:30 p.m. CDT

Watch: ESPN (Roy Philpott, Brock Osweiler and Sherree Burruss)

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

Internet/App Radio: The Varsity Network

Satellite Radio: SiriusXM 167 and on the SiriusXM app

All-Time Series

Series History: Texas Tech leads, 25-24-3

In Stillwater: OSU leads, 14-9

In Lubbock: Texas Tech leads, 14-8-2

At Neutral: Tied, 2-2-1

First Meeting (1935): Texas Tech 14, OSU 0

Last Meeting (2025): Texas Tech 42, OSU 0

Last OSU Win (2022): OSU 41, Texas Tech 31

Last Texas Tech Win (2025): Texas Tech 42, OSU 0

Morris vs. Texas Tech: 0-1

McGuire vs. OSU: 1-1

Texas Tech Scout

Head Coach

Joey McGuire | Fifth season at Texas Tech and for career.

Record: 43-19

Texas Tech Players to Watch

Thomas Castellanos | QB | Sr. | 5-10, 190 | Castellanos took over as the full-time starter two games ago after Will Hammond’s drop off in play. He’s been a savior to the offense and is coming off a huge game against West Virginia in which he threw for 362 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for 102 yards and has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the last two games.  

J’Koby Williams | RB | Jr. | 5-10, 185 | Injuries have limited last year’s leading rusher, Cameron Dickey. But Williams has been terrific. He’s rushed for 954 yards and seven scores and is coming off a performance against WVU in which he rushed for 160 yards and a touchdown. He’s rushed for 160 or more yards in three of his last four games.  

Kenny Johnson | WR | Sr. | 6-1, 200 | Injuries have allowed Johnson to take center stage and he’s emerged as Tech’s leading receiver with 40 catches for 632 yards and four scores. He’s caught at least four passes in each of the last four games and has three touchdowns in the last two games.

Austin Romaine | LB | Sr. | 6-2, 240 | Romaine is the leading tackler among a stable of linebackers (Ben Roberts, John Curry) that may be the best unit in the Big 12. He is questionable for Saturday’s game, but he had 15 tackles against WVU. He has 81 stops for the season with 1.5 sacks and two interceptions, both of which he’s returned for touchdowns.  

A.J. Holmes Jr. | DL | Sr. | 6-3, 300 | It’s not often that an interior defensive lineman leads his team in sacks. But Holmes is special. He has 7.5 sacks among his 30 tackles and sets the tone inside for how the Red Raiders get an inside push on the quarterback and how the unit stops the inside run. He’s been a boost to a team that has had trouble getting pressure off the edge.

Outlook

The Red Raiders were considered the favorites to win the Big 12 Championship this season after winning their first league title a year ago and qualifying for the College Football Playoff. The Red Raiders are still in line to make a return trip to Arlington. All they have to do is win their final three games. Right now, Texas Tech is the only other team in the conference besides undefeated Utah that controls its own destiny.

This team is not quite as good as last year's outfit. The defense has been above average this season but the offense has struggled. Head coach Joey McGuire turned to Castellanos, who joined the team in August thanks to a court waiver, and he's rejuvenated the offense entering the home stretch. With Castellanos and Williams running the show, there’s a good chance the Red Raiders will give the Cowboys fits on Saturday.

Oklahoma State Scout

Head Coach

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

Record: 6-3 at Oklahoma State and 52-37 overall.

Oklahoma State Players to Watch

Drew Mestemaker | QB | r-So. | 6-3, 215 | Mestemaker is closing in on 3,000 yards passing, is coming off a game in which he accounted for six touchdowns (four passing, one rushing and one receiving) and he’s even artfully dodging NFL Draft questions. For now, he’s thinking about a win on Saturday.

Caleb Hawkins | RB | So. | 6-0, 219 | Hawkins passed 1,000 yards for the season in the Kansas State win and he had four touchdowns in that game. More important, he’s accounted for more than 900 yards in offense in the last four games and is positioning himself for the Doak Walker award, given to the nation’s best running back.  

Wyatt Young | WR | Jr. | 6-0, 199 | Young only had three catches for 50 yards against Kansas State, but he threw a touchdown pass to Mestemaker and got a little redemption after his late penalty against Iowa State. He remains one of the top receivers in the country and his eight touchdown catches are tied for 11th in the nation.

Justin Bowick | WR | r-Sr. | 6-5, 209 | Bowick is now seen by some NFL Draft analysts as a potential third-round pick — and there’s room for that to get better. He is sixth in the country with 10 receiving touchdowns and has set career highs in all three major receiving categories in his final collegiate season.  

Ethan Wesloski | LB | r-Sr. | 6-1, 234 | Incredibly, Wesloski has fewer tackles in every game since he notched back-to-back 17-tackle games, the second of which was against UCF on Oct. 10. Since that game he only has 28 tackles but has three sacks and enters the Tech game with a team-high 81 tackles along with four sacks.

LaDainian Fields | DE | r-Sr. | 6-1, 176 | Fields was the Big 12 co-defensive player of the week after picking off two passes against Kansas State on Saturday. Fields now has six interceptions in his last five games and leads the country with seven for the season. He's not only tracking toward all-Big 12 selection but one now must consider him a contender for all-America status.

Outlook

Oklahoma State beat Kansas State to clinch a bowl game berth for the first time in three years. The Cowboys scored 66 points against the Wildcats in Manhattan, the most points they’ve ever scored in a game there. The Cowboys return home to host Texas Tech in a game that has obvious ties to head coach Eric Morris but holds much more in store if the Cowboys can pull off the victory.

Oklahoma State was a surprise addition to the College Football Playoff Top 25 on Tuesday as they came in at No. 25. This makes this game Oklahoma State’s third game against a ranked opponent. The Cowboys are 1-1 with a win over Oregon and a loss to Houston.

Beating Texas Tech at this late stage in the season would be a huge boost to the Cowboys and would keep them alive as they try to sneak into the Big 12 Championship game. As noted, the tiebreakers aren't going the Cowboys’ way. But as long as they keep winning, they have a chance. But if they lose on Saturday night, then they’re done.