Oklahoma State football returns home in a matchup very similar to 2017 against the Iowa State Cyclones. Who’ll come out on top?
Iowa State had one of the more interesting storylines all last season. After losing their starting quarterback, they turned to former walk-on Kyle Kempt to lead the way for them. Kempt played admirably for the Cyclones and even led them to a win over the No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners on the road. Their luck would turn once again and Kempt would go down to injury leading into the Oklahoma State game.
Fast forward to 2018, we find ourselves in the same position going into the very same game. Gunslinger Zeb Noland took the reigns and came incredibly close to defeating a Mason Rudolph led Cowboys team and cap off and put another notch on the belt of Matt Campbell.
The Iowa State Cyclones travel down to Stillwater, Okla., with Kyle Kempt sidelined and the big-armed Zeb Noland at the helm once again. Going into this game, the Cyclones are 1-3 with a close loss to Oklahoma and a heartbreaking, last-second field goal loss to the TCU Horned Frogs. Iowa State doesn’t do anything specifically great but seems to always have an underdog mindset that allows them to play most teams close.
Matt Campbell is a promising coach that’s sure to do great things when a bigger job comes along. For now, he’s made the Cyclones the ultimate upset machine in the Big 12 and Oklahoma State is in the sites of Iowa State this week.
Oklahoma State, however, has been a pleasant surprise this season. The Pokes were expected to take a big step back with the losses of one of the greatest quarterback-receiver duos in college football in Mason Rudolph and James Washington. Taylor Cornelius a.k.a. “Corndog” has stepped up for the Cowboys in a big way this season with 1,500-plus passing yards and 12 touchdowns over the first five games.
As for the loss of James Washington, Tylan Wallace has caught 30 passes thus far this season and made the most of every opportunity. Wallace has currently accounted for 546 yards through the air for an average of 18.2 yards per reception.
The real surprise for this team is the defensive unit. Oklahoma State returned seven starters from a season ago and their front seven is comprised entirely of upperclassmen and directed by former Duke Defensive Coordinator Jim Knowles. He has implemented an aggressive yet simple 4-2-5 defensive system that has improved what was a notoriously dreadful defensive unit substantially.
The points per game allowed have improved from 29.4 a year ago to 24 so far this year. The 2017 unit allowed 409.3 yards per game and the present unit is allowing 375.4 which is a whopping 33 yards less than a year ago. The most astounding statistic from this year is that Oklahoma State (yes, that Oklahoma State) is leading the nation in sacks.
With one of the more intriguing matchups around the corner, let’s take a dive into this Big 12 conference matchup between the Iowa State and Oklahoma State.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 6
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Stillwater, Okla.
Venue: Boone Pickens Stadium
TV: ESPN 2
LiveStream: WatchESPN or FuboTV
Players to Watch
Iowa State
- RB, David Montgomery
- QB, Zeb Noland
- WR, Hakeem Butler
- DBs, Greg Eisworth and Braxton Lewis
- DE, JaQuan Bailey
Oklahoma State
- QB, Taylor Cornelius
- RB, Justice Hill
- WR, Tylan Wallace
- DBs, Rodarius Williams and Malcolm Rodriguez
- DE, Jordan Brailford
Keys to Victory
The main thing for Iowa State is clock control. Oklahoma State has lost the battle for possession time all season long and the best way to defeat them is to keep the ball away from the Mike Gundy offense. Texas Tech held the ball for 41 minutes against Oklahoma State in a dominating win so David Montgomery’s ability to grind out yards is imperative. Zeb Noland must avoid making crucial mistakes such as turnovers and sacks while also throwing enough to keep running lanes open for Montgomery.
The easiest way for the Pokes to win is to score early. Iowa State’s offense has very little explosiveness and on top of that, they are playing their second string quarterback. Iowa State Hakeem Butler that could cause problems with his size and athleticism but they don’t quite have much else going for them. Send Jordan Brailford after Noland and force him to make mistakes and the Cowboys win the game.
Betting Odds
Courtesy of OddsShark
Spread: Oklahoma State -9.5
Over/Under: 55
Prediction
Iowa State just isn’t the team that gets blown out, even if they are on the road. The Cyclones are going to have some success by controlling the clock for while but their lack of firepower on offense will be their downfall. Oklahoma State pulls out a win at home before taking to the road against Kansas State.
Final Score: Oklahoma State 31, Iowa State 24