November didn’t begin like October went for Iowa State football, but the Cyclones still control their own destiny starting this Saturday vs. Oklahoma State.
After suffering a four-point road loss to West Virginia last week, Iowa State and second-year head coach Matt Campbell will conclude the home slate by welcoming the Cowboys, who are also coming off a defeat to Oklahoma in Bedlam.
Thanks to wins over Oklahoma and TCU, the Cyclones moved up the rankings and the conference standings in a hurry. Now, they must prove they can battle back from adversity a second time after doing so following a 2-2 September that included close losses to Iowa and Texas.
West Virginia was the first team in three games to score over 13 points against the ISU defense, which had allowed just 20 points total in wins over Kansas, Texas Tech and TCU.
Part of that success has come because the Cyclones are plus-10 in the turnover department, as they have zero fumbles on 220-plus carries. Quarterback Kyle Kempt has been a mid-season gem, completing 67 percent of his throws with a 10-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 1,108 yards.
Here are five reasons why they Cyclones can once again prove the doubters wrong and pull an upset this Saturday vs. Oklahoma State.