Oklahoma Football: Will Sooners avoid letdown against Iowa State?

Oklahoma football hosts Iowa State at Gaylord Memorial Stadium for a prime Big 12 matchup. Will the Sooners avoid a big letdown?

Both the Oklahoma Sooners and the Iowa State Cyclones are coming off of their bye week and losses before their weeks off. The Sooners were upset by the Kansas State Wildcats 48-41 in Manhattan while the Cyclones lost a close game at home to Oklahoma State 34-27.

The theme of both games was the same: the turnover battle and rushing yards completely matter. The Cyclones and the Sooners lost the turnover battle and were out rushed in their losses. Iowa State needs a lot of chaos to happen, but they have an outside shot at the Big 12 Championship Game.

Oklahoma is trying to keep its Big 12 and their playoff hopes alive.

Here’s more information about the game:

Date: Saturday, Nov. 9
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Norman, Okla.
Venue: Gaylord Memorial Stadium
TV: FOX
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go

Keys to Victory

Turnovers. Both teams have to guard against turnovers. Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy has a tendency to throw it to the other team. The Sooners do a decent job of protecting the ball, but they’ve turned it over in two big games. They turned it over twice against Kansas State and twice against Texas. The Sooners don’t turn it over often, but they’ll turn it over in key spots.

The Cyclones have to establish the run and shorten the game. The Sooners can’t let the Cyclones muck the game up. Jalen Hurts has to push the ball down the field, and the run game needs to make chunk plays.

Prediction

Iowa State can be turnover prone at times, and I don’t think the Cyclones can stop the Sooner offense for four quarters. The Cyclones give the Sooners the kitchen sink, but Oklahoma pulls away late.

Final Score: Iowa State 21, Oklahoma 35