You ever feel like college football rivalries are just getting a bit too... predictable? Same old blue bloods beating up on the same old cellar dwellers. Boring. But then you look at West Virginia vs Oklahoma State and realize that chaos actually has a home in the Big 12.
Honestly, if you're looking for a matchup that consistently defies logic, this is it. It’s a series that started nearly a century ago, went dormant for fifty years, and then exploded into a yearly fistfight that leaves both fanbases needing a heavy drink.
The 2024 Shocker in Stillwater
Let's talk about the most recent punch to the gut for the Cowboys. On October 5, 2024, West Virginia rolled into Boone Pickens Stadium as an underdog. Most folks expected Mike Gundy’s squad to take care of business at home. Instead, the Mountaineers basically took the keys to the stadium and drove it into a ditch.
West Virginia 38, Oklahoma State 14.
It wasn't just a win; it was a physical dismantling. Garrett Greene was doing Garrett Greene things—running for 159 yards and keeping the OSU defense guessing until they looked dizzy. Meanwhile, the Pokes' offense, led by Alan Bowman, just couldn't find a rhythm. Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson Jr. combined for a rushing attack that reminded everyone why the "ground and pound" still works in a league known for air raids.
One of the wildest parts? OSU didn't even score until the second quarter, and by then, they were already staring at a 24-0 deficit. It was one of those games where you could hear a pin drop in Stillwater by halftime.
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A History That’s Kinda Weird
Most people think this rivalry started when West Virginia joined the Big 12 in 2012. Nope. The first time these two met was 1928. West Virginia won 32-6. They played again in 1929—another WVU win. Then, silence. For 58 years.
They didn't see each other again until the 1987 Sun Bowl. That game was a total classic. You had a young Major Harris for the Mountaineers going up against a backfield that literally featured Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders. Think about that. Two of the greatest running backs to ever touch a football were on the same roster. Oklahoma State eked out a 35-33 win in El Paso, and the series went back into hibernation for another 25 years.
The Modern Era: 2012 to Today
Since WVU officially moved into the Big 12 neighborhood, the Cowboys have mostly held the upper hand, but it’s rarely been easy. Oklahoma State leads the all-time series 9-6, bolstered significantly by a massive seven-game winning streak that stretched from 2015 to 2021.
- 2018 Heartbreak: Probably the most famous modern game. No. 7 West Virginia, led by Will Grier, was looking at a potential playoff path. Taylor Cornelius and Tylan Wallace had other plans. OSU rallied from 17 points down to win 45-41. It was the kind of game that breaks a season.
- The 2022 Rainmaker: WVU finally snapped that long losing streak in 2022 with a gritty 24-19 win in a Stillwater monsoon. It was ugly. It was muddy. It was exactly the kind of game Neal Brown needed to save his job at the time.
- 2023 Shootout: Ollie Gordon II happened. The OSU star back went for 282 yards and four touchdowns in Morgantown, leading the Cowboys to a 48-34 victory.
It’s Not Just Football: The Hardwood Wars
If you think the intensity stops on the gridiron, you haven't watched these two play basketball. The record is even tighter here. After the January 4, 2025 matchup, the men’s basketball series stands at a dead-even 13-13.
The Mountaineers absolutely smoked the Cowboys in that 2025 meeting, winning 69-50 at the WVU Coliseum. It was a defensive masterclass. West Virginia held OSU to just 30% shooting from the floor. But that’s the thing with this series—next time they play in Stillwater, don't be surprised if the Cowboys win by 20.
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In the women's game, it’s just as competitive. On February 1, 2025, the WVU women took down OSU 54-37. Notice a theme? Both programs have leaned heavily on defense lately, turning what used to be high-scoring Big 12 track meets into absolute grinds.
Why This Matchup Still Matters
In the "new" Big 12, where Texas and Oklahoma are gone and teams like Utah and Arizona are moving in, these mid-tier rivalries are the backbone of the conference. West Virginia vs Oklahoma State represents the blue-collar identity of the league. You have two fanbases that are incredibly loyal, two programs that often feel overlooked by the national media, and a history of playing games that are just plain weird.
There’s a lot of mutual respect here, but there’s also a lot of "I can't stand losing to these guys" energy.
What most people get wrong is thinking that OSU's dominant run in the mid-2010s defines the series. If 2024 and early 2025 showed us anything, it's that the pendulum is swinging back toward Morgantown. Mike Gundy is a legend, but the Mountaineers have figured out how to neutralize the Cowboys' explosive tendencies by controlling the clock and being the more physical team at the line of scrimmage.
Breaking Down the Numbers
If you’re a bettor or just a stat nerd, here’s how the football series looks in prose:
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Oklahoma State’s longest win streak is seven games. West Virginia’s is just two (the very first two games ever played). The average score over the last decade is roughly 31-26 in favor of the Cowboys, which tells you how often these games come down to a single possession in the fourth quarter.
WVU’s biggest win was that 1928 blowout (26 points), while OSU’s most convincing victory was a 24-3 suffocating performance in 2021. Interestingly, West Virginia has actually been quite successful in Stillwater recently, winning two of the last three trips to Boone Pickens. That's a tough place to play, so that stat says a lot about the Mountaineers' mentality when they travel west.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're planning on following this rivalry over the next few seasons, here’s how to watch it like an expert:
- Watch the Turnover Margin: In almost every game since 2012, the team that wins the turnover battle has won the game. These teams are often so evenly matched that a single muffed punt or an interception in the red zone decides the outcome.
- Home Field Isn't a Lock: Unlike some rivalries where the home team wins 80% of the time, this one is volatile. West Virginia has a weird knack for playing better in Stillwater than they do at home against the Pokes.
- The "Ollie Gordon" Factor: As long as Ollie Gordon II is in a Cowboys uniform, the game plan is simple: stop him or lose. WVU figured that out in 2024. Whether they can repeat that in 2025 is the big question.
- Basketball is a Toss-up: Never bet the house on the favorite in the WVU-OSU basketball series. The home-and-home split is extremely common, and the games are almost always within five points in the final two minutes.
Keep an eye on the 2025 football schedule. With both teams looking to assert dominance in a wide-open Big 12, the next chapter of West Virginia vs Oklahoma State is likely to be just as chaotic as the last.
Check the official Big 12 standings and team injury reports at least 48 hours before kickoff. In a series this close, a missing starting tackle or a hobbled linebacker is often the difference between a celebration in the streets of Morgantown and a quiet flight back to the hills.