Oklahoma State got a glimpse of the future Thursday night, and it was bright, until it was cut short. Freshman quarterback Hauss Hejny electrified Boone Pickens Stadium, tossing a touchdown and sprinting for another in the first quarter before leaving with a broken foot. His brief but brilliant performance set the tone as the Cowboys rolled past UT Martin 27-7 in the season opener.
Hejny finished with 96 passing yards, a touchdown throw, and 27 rushing yards with a score before exiting late in the first quarter. Hejny will miss up to five weeks with the injury. Backup Zane Flores stepped in and delivered with 136 passing yards, while transfer receiver Terrill Davis made his Cowboy debut unforgettable with two grabs for 75 yards.
UT Martin showed flashes behind running back John Gentry, who tallied 51 rushing yards, 45 receiving yards, and the Skyhawks’ lone touchdown on a trickplay double pass from Bryce Bailey. But the Oklahoma State defense tightened, limiting UT Martin to just 225 yards and shutting them down after the first quarter.
The Cowboys took a 17-7 halftime lead and slammed the door in the fourth. Jacobi Oliphant Jr. picked off a Jase Bauer pass inside the 10-yard line, and running back Sesi Vailahi powered in from nine yards out to seal the win.
It wasn’t the cleanest start, but Oklahoma State proved it has depth—and firepower— even when adversity strikes.
Team stats-UTM-OSU Total Yards-225-359 Pass Yards-109-232 Rushing Yards- 116– 127 Penalty Yards-50-55 1st Downs-13-20 3rd Downs-6-10 4th Downs-0-1 TOP-28:39-31:21
