Iowa State heads to Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Saturday for the regular season finale against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Cyclones are coming off a dominating 38-14 win against the Kansas Jayhawks last Saturday. Here is what the CycloneFanatic staff thinks about Saturday’s regular season finale agains the Cowboys.
Chris Williams (6-5)
Iowa State will win this game, but give credit to the Cowboys where it’s due. They have competed every week and have actually gotten better as the season has gone along. Weird game in front of an empty stadium. Cyclones need to create their own energy. Iowa State 27, Oklahoma State 17
Rob Gray (7-4)
One might say the Cowboys are “due” after two straight one-score losses that extended their 17-game skid in Big 12 play. One would be wrong — unless the Cyclones play very poorly in Stillwater. Iowa State 31, Oklahoma State 13
Jake Brend (5-6)
Oklahoma State is playing slightly better, but they are still the worst Big 12 team since pre-Leipold Kansas. As long as Iowa State doesn’t shoot itself in both feet, its shins, and its kneecaps, it’ll be a comfortable win. Iowa State 27, Oklahoma State 10
Jackson Pence (6-5)
While Oklahoma State has been playing better and nearly won its last two games, Iowa State should roll in this one. Iowa State should rush for close to 200 yards with the Carson Hansen and Abu Sama duo in the backfield. This should be a game where we see close to 45 different guys on the field. Rocco Becht throws a dime early to Brett Eskildsen for a long touchdown, and that Iowa State defense creates a couple of turnovers. Iowa State 38, Oklahoma State 14
Jacqueline Cordova (6-5)
One last game to put a bow on this regular season. Oklahoma State has nothing to lose, which honestly makes them a little annoying to deal with in a season finale! But Iowa State just needs to do exactly what they did last week. Play fast. Play clean. Keep the pressure on. Give us another strong showing and let this be a nice, boring Saturday morning game where we’re all sipping coffee and not stressing. If the Cyclones take care of business the way they should, this one doesn’t need to be close. Iowa State 34, Oklahoma State 17
Jeff Woody (7-4)
Every week, I give my keys to the game on the CyHawk Gameday program on Saturdays on ABC in Des Moines. Due to my calling an FCS playoff game, I recorded that segment early. You wanna know what the only key to the game is? They wouldn’t let me say it on local TV. KEEP YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS. Oklahoma State has a team of guys who are simultaneously honoring their seniors on senior night to send them out with one good taste in their mouth after all this negativity (good motivation), but also who cannot f*#%ing wait for this season to be over (bad motivation).
If Iowa State thinks they can just roll their helmets out and win, that good motivation sticks around, and this is not a fun game. If they come out with intensity, you bring forward that bad motivation, and this is a fun game to end the year on.
Cyclones do the latter. Iowa State 34, Oklahoma State 13
Derek Duke (6-5)
This weekend is an opportunity to not just get my picks above .500, but for the Cyclones to get over .500 in Big 12 play, and at this point, I am not sure who needs it more. All jokes aside, this has to be a business trip for this football team. Oklahoma State has arguably the worst offense in the conference, and the Cyclones should have no trouble slowing them down at all. The key for Iowa State will be controlling the game on the ground to set up the passing attack, which is where the Cowboys really struggle.
Don’t let Oklahoma State’s 1-10 record fool you. In the past two games, the Cowboys have come very close to winning their first conference game in two years. But Iowa State is the better football team, and if they come ready to play, then I have no doubt they will walk out of Stillwater with a win. Will they come out swinging? I say yes. Iowa State 27, Oklahoma State 13
