For the 2025 Fall Season Opener, the UT Martin Skyhawks’ football travel to take on an opponent from the Big 12 conference for the second straight season. 

*Any stats listed come from espn.com player profiles. Awards listed come from UTM Athletics’ player profiles*

Last season the Skyhawks took on Kansas State in the opener. This time around, the Skyhawks will travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma to face the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Cowboys started out the 2024 season 3-0 with wins over South Dakota State, Arkansas and Tulsa. 

That was the best the team looked in 2024 though, as they proceeded to lose all nine of their remaining games with six of those games coming by two scores or more. The final game of their season, they fell to the Colorado Buffaloes 52-0. 

As it currently stands as of August 26, 2025, it is down to two freshmen, Texas Christian University Horned Frogs transfer Hauss Hejny and redshirt-freshman Zane Flores. Per OSU’s head coach, Mike Gundy, both QBs may see time against the Skyhawks. 

Ivan White, Sports Illustrated writer and sports media student for OSU, believes the team can not afford to have another lengthy QB battle similar to the 2023 season where the team had a three-way battle with Bowman winning the QB-one job. White discussed further about how this type of approach may be fine for an FCS school, they turn around and face a 2024 CFB playoff team in Oregon for week two. 

The Skyhawks are also featuring a new QB in play for the 2025 season except with a little less controversy with their starter already being set in Sam Houston Bearkats transfer Jase Bauer. Bauer is a senior with starting experience already coming from his time for the Central Michigan Chippewas where he showed his dual-threat ability with 12 touchdowns through the air and 10 on the ground. 

On the opposite side of the ball, the Skyhawks also lost another long-time leader in O’Shae Baker. Baker’s loss cannot be understated considering he was named not only first team defensive back but also punt returner for Big South OVC. In four years with the Skyhawks, Baker forced nine turnovers. 

The Skyhawks have a new top player on the defense in longtime DB JaMichael McGoy Jr. who’s expected to take that next step to lead the Skyhawk defense this year. McGoy has already proven himself as an elite player forcing five turnovers in two seasons (2023 and 2024) while also being named to the 2025 Big South-OVC first team. McGoy also earned several preseason honors including Big South-OVC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. 

The Skyhawks will take on the Cowboys on Thursday, August 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma.