Oklahoma football is facing must-win game in Week 5 at Iowa State

Oklahoma football looks to rebound from its loss to Kansas State as they take on the Iowa State Cyclones in their second Big 12 game of the season.

The 18 ranked Oklahoma Sooners got off to a fast start with a blowout win over Missouri State that had many experts ready to put freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler in the Heisman race. Last week’s upset loss to Kansas State has many questioning how far off Oklahoma is from getting back to their old ways.

Iowa State suffered a tough game one loss at home to Louisiana 31-14. That blowout loss gave them some extra motivation as they bounced back with a hard-fought win last week against Big 12 foe TCU.

Spencer Rattler has been a lot of fun to watch to start the season as he has completed over 75% of his passes. Three interceptions last week against Kansas State has left some questions about the young quarterback after two games. Oklahoma’s defense struggled in the secondary to slow down Kansas State’s passing game as a major issue was exposed to the rest of the country.

While Iowa State senior quarterback Brock Purdy hasn’t played up to his standards, running back Breece Hall has gotten into a rhythm with 258 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in two games. Defensive end JaQuan Bailey had a coming-out party with three sacks last week against TCU proving that the Cyclones can pass rush with the best of the Big 12.

Date: Saturday, Oct. 3
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Ames, Iowa
Venue: Jack Trice Stadium
TV: ABC
Live Stream: ESPN+

Keys to Victory

For Oklahoma’s offense, Rattler must cut down on turnovers. His decision making has been impressive up to this point as a freshman, but interceptions have put pressure on his defenses. Throwing the ball away or taking sacks would help out an offense that relies on the passing game.

The Sooners’ defense was exposed with poor secondary play especially in the second half against Kansas State. Oklahoma’s defense has slowly improved with many hoping they would take a big leap this season. There are holes in their defense, but a better performance from their cornerbacks could have them in a better position to win.

Purdy is a big factor in this offense. If he doesn’t play well, the Cyclones lose, but if he plays well, they win. Iowa State doesn’t have to pass the ball for a ton of yards, but adding balance with Hall’s stellar running skills will go a long ways. Iowa State produced four plays of over 40 yards that could play a big factor against Oklahoma.

Bailey and the Iowa State front seven recorded seven sacks in their win against TCU last week. The Cyclones’ motto this weekend must be “rattle the Rattler” by using their pass rush to cause problems for Oklahoma’s freshman quarterback. Iowa State should force Oklahoma to beat them with their inexperienced running backs who have relied on running back Seth McGowan to carry them.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of The Action Network

Point Spread: Oklahoma -10.5
Over/Under: 63

Prediction

Rattler will be under the radar to perform well after throwing three interceptions against Kansas State. Iowa State isn’t known for creating turnovers, but their pass rush could create some interceptions they need. Look for Oklahoma to put some more trust in their running game to take the pressure off of their freshman quarterback.

Iowa State will turn to their running game as well for big plays and keep the ball out of Oklahoma’s big-play passing game. Purdy must be on his A-game as he needs to have more of an impact on the passing game. Their front seven should get pressure on Rattler, but can their secondary hold their end of the bargain?

Rattler will be hungry to improve his play which could result in some big numbers. The Cyclones will keep the game close, but Oklahoma has too many weapons on offense to let them stay in the game for too long.

Final Score: Oklahoma 34, Iowa State 24