Views From The Other Side: Oklahoma State vs. Iowa State Prediction

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are in Ames, Iowa to take on Iowa State with a chance to improve to 3-1 on the season and begin Big 12 play with a win. With that, I had the chance to talk with Alec Busse (@alec_busse) of Cyclone Alert to get the opposing viewpoint ahead of this matchup. 

Here's what Alec had to say about the Cowboys and Cyclones matching up in Week 4.

What's the general feel and mood both around the program and from the fans after the start of the season Iowa State has had?

Busse: Within the program, there’s certainly disappointment that the team not only lost but played so poorly in the game vs. Ohio. But they also seem to understand the reason the team lost and that there needs to be a sense of urgency moving forward to help get things going in the right direction

Fans are pretty polarized. There are Matt Campbell defenders who understand that this is a young team with players playing high snap counts when they weren’t expected to because of the gambling investigation. The Cyclones lost a starter at quarterback, running back, tight end and offensive and defensive linemen because of the gambling probe. 

But there are also fans who are starting to get pretty tired of the Cyclones having a bad offense. Last season, Iowa State had the worst offense in the Big 12. And right now, it looks like Iowa State is on pace to achieve a similar place in the league’s offensive categories. After three games – two against lower-level competition (an FCS opponent and a Group of Five school ) – the offense is averaging less than 14.5 points per game. 

Are there any players particularly that Oklahoma State fans should be watching for defensively? How can they swing the game in favor of the Cyclones?

Busse: Iowa State has a really good defense again this season. Three weeks into the season, Iowa State and Oklahoma are atop most of the Big 12's defensive metrics. Their biggest strength of the defense is the secondary, which is led by future NFL Draft pick T.J. Tampa at corner. But Myles Purchase is a good player on the other side of the field. Safety Jeremiah Cooper has three interceptions this season, including a pick-six in the season opening win over UNI.

The linebacker core is led by Gerry Vaughn, though he has missed the last two games because of a "bruise," according to Cyclone coach Matt Campbell. Caleb Bacon has been one of the better players for the Cyclone defense this season too.

What can the Cyclones do to help Rocco Becht find rhythm with the offense? What has been a glaring issue so far?

Busse: The biggest thing Iowa State can do to help Becht is to get the rush offense going. The last two weeks, Iowa State has averaged less than 3.0 yards per carry in their losses to Iowa and Ohio. Last week, they ran the ball 23 times for just 38 total yards against the Bobcats.

This season, Iowa State is tied for the least amount of rushing touchdowns among Power Five schools through the first three weeks with just one running touchdown that Becht had vs. UNI.

Getting the running offense going with Cartevious Norton and Abu Sama would go a long way for Iowa State. It would likely help them sustain drives and stay off of the field, but it should also open opportunities for Becht to throw the ball downfield more on play-action passing downs.

And lastly, what do you expect in this game and what is your score prediction?

A low-scoring, tight game. That’s the easy prediction for this one – and most Iowa State games this season, I think. I’m fascinated by Oklahoma State’s three-quarterback system. We’ve all seen two quarterbacks play to varying degrees of success. But I’ve never seen – or heard – of a three-quarterback offense. And Mike Gundy sure seems committed to it as we enter the fourth game of the season.

These are two teams that I think are in the bottom half of the Big 12. But the league is so cluttered with teams in that category right now that starting the conference season with a win would be valuable for each program with a tough opponent looming in their next game.

I’ll side with Iowa State, but mostly because they are the home team and because I think the Cyclone defense will make some plays to swing the game in their favor in the second half. Iowa State 17, Oklahoma State 14

Shoutout to Alec for taking the time to answer these questions and give a fresh perspective to this matchup. Go check out Cyclone Alert to stay informed on all things Iowa State from Busse and his team. 

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