 45 |
GAME #69
Boone Pickens Stadium |
 27 |
| Trip Dates | 9/25/2025 – 9/28/2025 |
| School | Oklahoma State University |
| Visiting Team | Baylor Bears Pre-game Record: 2-2 |
| Home Team | Oklahoma State Cowboys Pre-game Record: 1-2 |
| Game Time (ET) | 3:30 PM Eastern (2:30 local) |
| Weather | 90 & Sunny |
| Attendees | Jarrett & Al |
| Jarrett’s Pick | Baylor Bears (45 and 23 record) |
| Al’s Pick | Baylor Bears (42 and 26 record) |
| Attendance | 45,689 |
| Capacity | 52,202 |
| TV | ESPN2 |
| Length of Game | 3:36 |
| Seat Location | Row 53, 10 Yard Line |
| Miles Traveled | 3,014 |
| Photo Album | Click here for the OSU Photo Album |
Travel
It was a Thursday departure on the first Quest trip of 2025 to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to see the Oklahoma State Cowboys. I arrived at the West Palm Beach International Airport and discovered that the arriving flight for my departure was not on time. With a tight connection in Houston, this meant a high likelihood I’d miss my connection — and since it was the last flight from Houston to Tulsa, that would be a problem. A quick turnaround by United’s ground staff was my only hope, but with each passing minute that seemed less likely.
Cue the frantic texting marathon between myself and Al, trying to figure out backup plans since the car rental in Tulsa and hotel in Stillwater were both in my name. The options were: I could go to Tulsa the next morning with Al either staying there overnight or driving on to Stillwater, or I could take a late flight into Oklahoma City and meet him there — though that created a new rental car issue.
Meanwhile, Al faced his own troubles with a ground stop at LaGuardia thanks to a never-arriving storm he was sure they could’ve flown around. As I was about to board, we decided the best plan was for me to go to Oklahoma City and meet in Stillwater. Al would cancel my car, rent a new one in Tulsa, and I’d ride share from OKC.
Of course, while the United app accurately told me I wouldn’t make my connection — and even let me rebook to airports up to 200 miles away and in different time zones — Oklahoma City somehow wasn’t one of those options. So I called Beth and asked her to call United to make the change manually, since I couldn’t do it mid-flight. Those new to these reports should know that Beth is not great with travel logistics, but all I needed was one call and one simple rebooking. Luckily, Beth was next door with Sergio and he was there to handle this.
While I was in the air, Al finally took off too — quite late, but at least airborne. All this chaos actually made my flight go by quickly.
I landed in Houston about 15 minutes after my original Tulsa flight was supposed to depart and, conveniently, just a few gates away. I wandered over to the gate and the plane was still there, but the door was closed, and the flight listed as “closed.” A man who’d just missed the flight was visibly upset, pleading to get on. I decided to hang back and see what happened. Eventually, a different gate agent emerged from the closed door and allowed him to board, if he hurried. I pounced.
I explained that I’d originally been on this flight but was rebooked to OKC since I was going to miss the connection. She took my ID, added me back on, and miraculously there was even overhead space left. Despite having a middle seat, the aisle passenger moved to the middle since she was traveling with the person in the window. Score!
After all the scrambling, I ended up on the same flight and arrived in Tulsa exactly as originally planned — while Al, who was supposed to arrive hours before me, got in after me thanks to his ground stop. And because he wisely checked a bag figuring he would have plenty of time before I arrived, that added more delay.
Once reunited, we grabbed his bag and headed for his new rental car. We rejected the first one, which was electric as we weren’t in the mood for electric charger hunts on this trip. By this point, everything in the airport and nearby was closed, and we were starving. The only option was a Taco Bell, which was quite loud and exactly what the day deserved.
From there, it was a dark, scenic hour plus drive to Stillwater. Naturally, we went to the wrong hotel first, because of course we did, even though I clicked the address directly from TripIt. We eventually made it to the right one, only to find there was one room left, a king, despite our confirmed two queen reservation. It was a football weekend and late at night, so there was no choice but to take it. The front desk clerk offered bedding for the pullout couch, but only managed to provide half of what was promised. The place was a dump, a fitting end to a day that could’ve been a travel-themed reality show. More on that hotel later.
Maybe these Thursday departures aren’t such a great idea after all.
Friday Morning
The next morning, I spent quality time arguing with StubHub while trying to watch the Ryder Cup, leaving the Capital One phone call and hotel fiasco for “future me.” Let me take a step back. I woke up and was going to take in a lazy morning watching a bit of the Ryder Cup. Maybe call Capital One as I booked the hotel through Capital One’s travel portal and see what they could do about the hotel situation. But in looking through my email, I see that Stubhub has cancelled a ticket purchase that I made a few days earlier for tickets for the following weekend when I am going to Gainesville for the Texas at Florida game. These tickets were carefully planned as I bought a pair and Alex bought a pair that were close by and in a very specific section. Alex got his and mine were cancelled. I looked at some alternatives on other sites and on Stubhub. The message from Stubhub said the seller could not deliver. But I noticed that the same tickets were listed on Stubhub for more money. So I contacted Stubhub. I am going to make this short and sweet here because I may do a blog post about Stubhub in the future. But needless to say that Stubhub’s FanProtect Guarantee is 100% bullshit. I cancelled my order and got a refund, which took going through 10 screens and 10 layers of bullshit enough so that I had to call and have their rep walk me through it. But basically, the Stubhub FanProtect Guarantee essentially means that they will not commit fraud. I do not need a company guarantee to promise me you will not commit fraud. There are laws in place to stop you from doing that. Other than that, Stubhub will allow its sellers to screw you and they will simply give you your money back and you are left to find replacement tickets on your own at the last minute. Needless to say, I will be buying my tickets elsewhere from now on.
Dealing with Stubhub and finding replacement tickets took all the time I had where I should have been talking with Capital One about our hotel situation.
Stillwater/Oklahoma State Friday Afternoon
After resolving nothing of consequence that morning, as Teddy KGB said “Just like a young man coming in for a quickie. I feel so unsatisfied.” But it was time to explore Stillwater and Oklahoma State University.
On the way to our first stop, Al observed that “They really do have every chain here, don’t they?” He wasn’t wrong. The first stop was breakfast at Granny’s Kitchen. Unfortunately, Granny had the morning off. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good. Quest breakfast standards have been set very high by the likes of Big Bad Breakfast and others and Granny’s Kitchen does not quite measure up.
Next up was the Oklahoma State Bookstore, which, like every college bookstore, specializes in selling the same three colors of merchandise at a 400% markup (I think I may be in a mood). But I will say that the OSU bookstore was quite large and offered a large selection. I made the requisite donation and am now the proud owner of another grey school t-shirt that I didn’t need. I am sure Beth will agree.
From there, we wandered around campus and through OSU Athletics and the Hall of Fame, which were admittedly impressive. We did some more wandering about campus before attending the guided athletics tour which took us right back to the same ground we had already walked earlier, just now with some extremely limited narration. But the guided tour got us access into the stadium where we were able to take some pictures and most importantly, figure out where to sit for the game, which means “where will the shade be?” Something we were quite successful at.
Feeling ambitious, we decided to walk to the famed Dairy Bar, which every OSU alum claims is a must-do. What they failed to mention is that it closes at 2:30 p.m., because obviously the best time to shut down an ice cream place is mid-afternoon when everyone actually wants ice cream. We arrived just after closing, which felt very on-brand for this trip.
Dinner
Dinner was at Smokin Joes Stilly, a local BBQ joint on the edge of town that was located on 10 acres with its own beach volleyball courts. The BBQ was quite good and Al says that the sides are some of the best that he has ever had. And for the record, he had creamed corn and a very creamy potato salad. The main course of chopped brisket was quite good as well.
After feeding time at the zoo, we headed back to the hotel where we closed the day by buying tickets to the game tomorrow on SeatGeek. Definitely not on Stubhub!
Saturday Morning
Saturday morning began much like Friday with a somewhat lazy morning watching the disastrous US Ryder Cup team. I figured this was a good time to call Capital One and see if there was anything they could do about the hotel. After explaining and escalating the situation, they said they would reach out to the hotel and see what they could do. After doing so, they said the manager was off duty until Monday and that they would try again on Monday. They offered a $100 travel credit. I appreciated the gesture but that it was the hotel that I wanted to “pay” for the issue and not CapOne as they did nothing wrong. This would be continued.
Breakfast was at Shortcakes Diner, which immediately outclassed yesterday’s Granny’s Kitchen. Al had waffles and I had pancakes. It was a bit of a reminder of Al’s diner in Minneapolis. A good local place.
After breakfast, we wandered around the stadium taking in the local sights. We saw Bullet and The Spirit Rider Team as well as the fan fest area. We also took in The Walk, where the team walks from the hotel where they stay the night before the game to Boone Pickens Stadium.
After all that, we made the mandatory pilgrimage to Eskimo Joe’s. This was THE place that everybody told us we had to go to. And I mean everybody. We arrived in time for a drink and to take in the pregame scene. The crowd was a perfect mix of students and alumni reliving their glory days plus a few confused visitors wondering why this is the place to go.
When it came time to head to the stadium, I congratulated ourselves on carefully selecting the tickets for optimum shade, a level of planning that would pay off once kickoff hit. Both of us decided to pick Baylor, as we both went out on a limb opting for the 20.5 point favorite.
The Game
Apparently, OSU decided to run a live demonstration of how not to stop a passing attack. Baylor rolled up 612 yards of offense and quarterback Sawyer Robertson put on an airshow with 393 passing yards and four touchdowns.
The first quarter kicked off with Robertson connecting with Kole Wilson for a 34-yard touchdown. That 78-yard drive set the tone early. OSU answered later in the quarter via a more methodical 12-play, 75-yard march capped by a 26-yard pass from Sam Jackson to Josh Ford. Both teams seemed content to trade opening blows.
In the second quarter, BU’s Bryson Washington ran 19 yards for a score, and OSU responded with a 39-yard field goal. BU struck back quickly with a 6-yard strike to Matthew Klopfenstein. OSU responded back with a quick 10-yard run by Howland to pull within 4 at 21-17. Before halftime, Michael Trigg caught a 10-yard touchdown pass, putting the Bears up 28–17, and a last-ditch 42-yard field goal from OSU made it 28–20 at the half.
Coming out of the break, Baylor didn’t ease up. Robertson launched a 73-yard touchdown pass to Kobe Prentice taking just three plays to go up 35-20. A short 1-yard run by Howland pulled OSU within a touchdown (35–27), but that was as close as they got. Baylor’s offense was balanced and explosive; OSU’s defense got worn down, and the offense could never recover from Baylor’s mid-quarter burst.
By the fourth quarter, Baylor iced it with a 36-yard field goal and a 2-yard Robertson rush after an 89-yard, 10-play drive leading to a final score of 45–27.
A BU victory, but an OSU cover. I did say before the game that OSU would cover even though I was picking BU, while Al claimed it would be a BU romp. I could not help but throw that in even though I do not get an additional credit for it.
One humorous anecdote from the game was the college kid behind us who told his family that OSU this week interviewed Nick Saban for the head coaching job at OSU. I should mention that prior to our trip to OSU, OSU fired their long time head coach Mike Gundy just in time for our arrival. Excellent timing on our part, but I digress. It took everything I had not to turn around and explain to this kid that a school like OSU does not interview a coach like Nick Saban. Now I have no idea if OSU called Nick Saban. But if they did, that is not an interview. That call would be to gauge his interest. And if he is interested, you hire him. You do NOT interview Nick Saban. And Nick Saban left Alabama because he did not want to deal with all the NIL and House settlement bullshit in college football now. And that was at a school with resources like Alabama. So I do not see him being interested. But if I were OSU, I would definitely make the call. But if this kid thinks OSU is interviewing Nick Saban, I have an oil well to sell him.
Travel & Post Game
After the game, we headed back to Tulsa. We both had early flights in the morning back home so we decided to stay by the airport in Tulsa as opposed to Stillwater. Little did we know how fortuitous that decision would be. After an hour or so drive we checked into our hotel, which was walking distance to the Tulsa airport. This was a much better check in experience and hotel. And what do you know…2 beds, just like I reserved.
We searched for a sports bar to watch the Alabama–Georgia and Penn State–Oregon games. The only thing that came up was Hooters, so that would have to work. We settled in for some “food” and to watch the games. It was nice seeing Alabama pull out the win over Georgia and the PSU/OU game was a thrilling game that went to OT. Do not get me started on the stupidity that is overtime in college football.
Sunday Morning
The morning started with the familiar joy of flying. TSA decided to make things interesting by asking me as I went through the security line, which flight I was actually on, as he had me listed for multiple flights. That seemed odd but I did not think anything of it. But then when I checked the United app, I noticed that United apparently thought I needed a little extra excitement and added a random Tulsa–Chicago–PBI leg to my travel plans. So it was unclear to me which flight I was actually booked on. So I had to call United as there were no desk agents around this early. I explained the situation to the agent and she told me this happens when you ask about other flight options. I said that I did no such thing. She said that’s a bit weird but she could simply remove the Chicago flight. Umm ok. I guess this is not the trip where anything will go smoothly.
But at least that was the end of it. The rest of the travel went as planned with no issues on the flight or the connection in Houston. We both arrived home and were on our own couches by the late afternoon kickoffs in the NFL, Al much sooner than I as he had a direct flight.
Now about that Hotel in Stillwater
After the trip, I would not let this hotel issue die. Those of you who know me, know this is not going to stand. I spoke to someone at the front desk and to the GM, Bonnie Sarhan and I learned that the hotel was overbooked by 5 rooms and that at some point during that day they decided to just give out rooms first come first serve. In addition, the GM told me that she routinely overbooks the hotel and that it is not her fault because it is the third parties that overbook the hotel not her. I am doing everything I can to not go on yet another tangent on how stupid a statement it is that it is not her fault that her hotel is overbooked because of third parties. She also told me that she did me a favor by not charging me for the upgrade to a king suite from a standard two queen room. She did not offer any compensation during my initial calls to her as this was standard practice for the hotel and I was lucky I got a room. She routinely walks people from her hotel and when she calls them to tell them, they do not complain at all. This is the luckiest GM in history as everyone I know who has reservations at a hotel and is told oops, no you don’t, kinda gets upset. But I did not know how to respond to all this, but I contacted IHG. I did a bunch of back and forth with IHG, but they essentially refuse to enforce their brand standards which require an offer of compensation when a guaranteed reservation type is not honored. I have escalated the matter with IHG. I have never posted an online review of a hotel before, but this will be the first. See my review below and I will be putting this out there.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Stillwater – University Area
I don’t usually leave negative reviews, but this stay was beyond disappointing. The hotel was overbooked by five rooms, and despite having a confirmed reservation for two queen beds, we were given the last unoccupied room in the hotel, a king room. We specifically needed two beds, but the front desk clerk didn’t care at all — as we checked in at 2am she was only interested in the fact that we were last check-in for the night. The room smelled musty and was dirty, showing a clear lack of upkeep and cleaning standards. After our stay, when we called to complain, the general manager told us we should consider ourselves lucky we even got a room and that we “did not get charged for the upgrade” to a king suite, as if giving us the wrong room type was some kind of favor. She also admitted that she routinely overbooks the hotel and does not honor room type reservations, then claimed it wasn’t her fault because “third parties overbook the property.” This explanation either shows she doesn’t understand how her own business works or is just purely interested in maxing revenue to the detriment of customers, since overbooking is a deliberate hotel practice, not something that magically happens. Even one of the front desk employees later acknowledged that the hotel was overbooked and said the situation “should have been handled better.” To make things worse, IHG corporate seems completely unable to do anything about franchisees who operate in this manner, leaving guests stranded and frustrated when management refuses to take responsibility. I’ve stayed at many IHG properties over the years, and this was by far the worst experience I’ve ever had. I would avoid this property entirely as it is highly likely that if you are able to get a room at all it will not be the type of room you reserved and it will no doubt be dirty and smell awful. In addition, you might want to just avoid all IHG properties in general.
Postscript
To be posted at the end of the season.
Photo Gallery
For our Oklahoma State photo album, Please click here. You can view as a collage or run as a slideshow. There are comments to explain what is in the photo but most are self explanatory. Thanks to Google, I can no longer embed the slide show with comments.