Iowa State Football: 3 reasons to believe Cyclones will win Big 12

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AMES, IA – OCTOBER 13: Wide receiver Tarique Milton #14 of the Iowa State Cyclones pulls in a reception as safety Toyous Avery Jr. #3 of the West Virginia Mountaineers blocks in the second half of play at Jack Trice Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Ames, Iowa. The Iowa State Cyclones won 30-14 over the West Virginia Mountaineers. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /

3. Iowa State could hold most edges in a tiebreak scenario

Only four teams remain alive now for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, on Dec. 1. Iowa State football sits among those four teams with a 6-3 (5-2 Big 12) record up to this point. The Cyclones don’t have any room for error in the last two games in Big 12 play.

But, it does have the ability to control its own destiny if Iowa State beats Texas on Nov. 17 and the West Virginia Mountaineers lose to the Oklahoma Sooners on the following week. West Virginia and Oklahoma both have a single loss in Big 12 play, so the two loss Cyclones need some help to get over the hump to the conference title game.

However, Iowa State did knock off West Virginia in dominant fashion in a huge upset at home this year. If Texas also falls short against the Cyclones this weekend, this team then sits in the driver’s seat down the road to the second spot in the 2018 Big 12 Championship Game. Iowa State would hold the tiebreaker over West Virginia and Texas would likely be knocked out of contention altogether.

Another shot for Iowa State to gain some ground on the top two teams comes when West Virginia travels to Boone Pickens Stadium and Stillwater in Week 12 to face Oklahoma State. Head coach Mike Gundy seems to be stingy this year against the top three ranked teams in the Big 12 this season. Iowa State will be rooting for Oklahoma State to win on Nov. 17.

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