Who: Iowa State Cyclones 1-5 (0-3) vs. Texas Longhorns 2-3 (0-2)
When: Saturday, October 15 2016 at 6PM CST
Where: Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium (Longhorn Network)
Odds: Texas -13.5
The Good
While there isn’t a lot to love from the scoreboard this year in Ames, the Cyclones are showing improvement under first year coach Matt Campbell. After dropping games to Northern Iowa and Iowa, the Cyclones played tough against TCU before the Frogs pulled away. Following their first win of the season over San Jose State, Iowa State suffered narrow losses to Baylor and Oklahoma State. Iowa State’s star runner Mike Warren started the season off slowly, but he’s tallied 378 yards in his last 4 games. Longhorn fans will also remember quarterback Joel Lanning, who was incredibly effective in a shutout victory over the Longhorns in Ames last year. The Cyclones aren’t asking Lanning to do a lot, but he’s taking care of the ball and still making some plays with his legs. His top target in the passing game is Allen Lazard who is currently averaging 14 yards per catch. On the defensive side of the ball linebacker Reggan Northrup and defensive back Kamari Cotton-Moya lead the team in tackles. Defensive back Jomal Wiltz has been very strong against the pass as well.
The Bad
The Cyclones have struggled on the road this season on both sides of the ball. The Cyclones rush defense can only be described as porous. Through 6 games the Cyclones are giving up an average of 235 yards per game including 469 yards to Baylor. Matt Campbell’s team is also dealing with some injuries that are depleting depth. Linebacker Bobby McMillen and defensive back Kamari Cotton-Moya are both questionable for Saturday’s game, while offensive lineman J.D. Waggoner is also expected to miss the game with an undisclosed injury.
The Uncertain
While Iowa State is clearly trending up in improvement there is still a large disparity of talent on the field. While that didn’t really matter last year when the Cyclones blanked Texas in Ames, it still has to be accounted for. The Longhorns are going to be a team playing for their coach, and they will also be looking for a small measure of revenge after the embarrassing defeat they were dealt last season. On paper this looks like a matchup Texas should dominate, but that hasn’t been the case in this matchup during this decade.
What’s at Stake
The Longhorns are looking for anything to get them back on track after a three game skid that has many questioning Charlie Strong’s job security. While a win over Iowa State won’t silence the critics, a loss might remove any existing doubt. For Iowa State they are looking to build upon their near wins by finally finishing a game against a power 5 team on top. The Longhorns aren’t playing at the standard established for this program, but a win over Texas is always special for a team like Iowa State.
