Oklahoma State, however, was.

But what a difference a year makes.

In the season finale last November, the Cougars and Cowboys were headed in opposite directions. Oklahoma State was playing for a spot in the Big 12 championship, while BYU had lost four in a row and needed a win to get to bowl eligibility.

The Cougars gave everything they had that day but ended up losing a heartbreaker in Stillwater, Okla., 40-34, in double overtime to end their season.

“I think that game was tough because we knew the season was coming close to an end and we had great seniors that sacrificed a lot to be here,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said earlier in the week. “The hard part was saying goodbye to them and not extending the season.

“That game left a sour taste and was a sore spot for us, so this game is a chance to make things right. I’m not worried about the revenge factor, but I just want our guys to play really good, clean football and play at our best. It’s going to be a dog fight and it’s going to be a fun rematch on Friday night.”

The tables have turned as is it BYU that is unbeaten and ranked No. 13 while the Cowboys are on a three-game skid.

Cougar junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff said this matchup is different than last year but BYU knows how good Oklahoma State can be.

“This is a lot different team, and I think the Oklahoma State team is playing a lot different too this year,” Retzlaff said. “It’s hard to compare year-to-year because guys are in and out, but we know we have to be ready for this week. This is a team that’s got a lot of talent and has a great record coming off a bye week.”

Although there have been some tough times, the Cougars know the Cowboys are going to come out fighting hard when they face off on Friday night at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.

“I expect their very best,” BYU offensive line coach TJ Woods said. “Those guys have been coaching there for a long time. They’re dang good, they’ve won a lot of games there and they have good players.

“They are very talented on the defensive front. They fly around. They have an aggressive scheme on defense and they’re not afraid to take chances. I expect them to be at full steam ahead when they when they show up here and I expect us to do the same thing, I think it’s going to be a heck of a battle.”

Cougar defensive coordinator Jay Hill said there are some advantages to going up against a team twice in less than 11 months.

“It’s very similar offensive line, with the same running back, same top wide receivers and same quarterback,” Hill said. “There’s a lot of offensive personnel that is exactly the same from that really good unit that played for the Big 12 championship last year. We know what their skill sets are and we know how physically they play. That should help us in this year’s game.”

He also credited the BYU players for using the disappointment of losing that 2OT game for setting the stage for the success the Cougars have had so far in 2024.

“I think that that was one of those games that was a huge jump start to how we’re playing this year,” Hill said. “I think we felt like after Oklahoma and Oklahoma State that we could hang in there with any teams in the Big 12.

“I think we learned that you can play great for one half, but you better be ready to go for 60 minutes in this league. The physicality we kind of wore down a little bit late, and we didn’t play the way in the second half as we did in the first half. You’ve truly got to play 60 minutes in the Big 12 to pull off wins.”

The bottom line is that BYU isn’t really looking at this as a chance to avenge a loss last year, but they haven’t forgotten that loss either.

“We remember last late November,” Retzlaff said. “We remember that, so we are coming out ready this week.”

No. 13 BYU vs. Oklahoma State

TIME: 8:15 p.m. MT

TV: ESPN

WHERE: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo

THE WORD: This will be the fourth meeting between BYU and Oklahoma State with the Cowboys having won all three previous meetings. In addition to OSU winning in 2023 in Stillwater, the Cowboys also defeated the Cougars in the 1974 Fiesta Bowl and the 1976 Tangerine Bowl … . BYU is playing its second Friday night game of the year after beating SMU 18-15 on the road earlier this season. The Cougars are 9-4 on Friday night regular-season games under Kalani Sitake and have won six of their last seven Friday night contests … With six wins now, BYU is bowl eligible after falling short last season. It is the seventh time under Kalani Sitake the Cougars have been bowl eligible and 18th time in the last 20 years. BYU has played in 40 bowls in its history, ranking No. 23 among all teams. A bowl in 2024 will be its 41st bowl game.