Oklahoma football was unable to overcome a late rally at home last season against upset-hungry Iowa State, but this season will yield a different result.
A year ago, Heisman front-runner Baker Mayfield was getting ready to face a resurgent Iowa State team at home, but it looked like the Sooners would just blow right through the Cyclones, proving they still have a long way to go under Matt Campbell.
Kyle Kempt, Allen Lazard and the Cyclones marched into town and pulled off the unthinkable upset, beating the Sooners in Norman and they showed the nation they were to be taken seriously.
Fast forward to the 2018 season and Iowa State is feeling blue after a loss in the annual battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy as beating Iowa is almost impossible these days for the Cyclones. They are hosting Oklahoma this time around, but they may be in a worse position than they were last season.
Here’s why the Sooners will exact revenge on Iowa State and improve to 3-0.
5. Kyle Kempt not at full strength for Iowa State
It’s unfortunate, but the Cyclones don’t stand much of a chance without Kyle Kempt under center.
Ask the Sooners and they’d tell you that they would want Kempt to play so they could exact revenge on the quarterback who ripped their hearts out in Norman last year. Plus, Oklahoma wants to play every team at its best.
Kempt was injured in the Cyclones’ Week 2 loss to Iowa could miss Saturday’s game against the Sooners. An ankle injury is nothing to mess with, so even if he does play, he won’t be playing at 100 percent, or anywhere near it.
If he’s unable to go, sophomore Zeb Noland will assume duties, and that won’t work out well for him as the Sooners’ defense will eat him up.