Zane Douglas, sports editor (3-2)

Iowa State 38, Kansas 14

The big discussion in press conferences and everything leading up to this game within Iowa State’s football team was to not take Kansas lightly.

The Cyclones shouldn’t, that is their job and as soon as they start doing that then they can start losing games to bad teams.

That being said, there is no way Kansas wins this game against Iowa State. Iowa State is a good team, but the real reason is because Kansas is not good. At all.

An 0-5 start followed by one of their best players in running back Pooka Williams opting out and the Jayhawks do not look up to the task.

It hasn’t just been losses though, it’s been margin of defeat that really shows how bad Kansas has been in 2020.

Thirty-eight points is the lowest amount of points the Jayhawks have given up all season and the most they’ve scored is 23 against Coastal Carolina at home.

Kansas has played some tough opponents — Kansas State and Oklahoma State for example — but huge losses to Baylor, West Virginia and Coastal Carolina don’t really speak highly of a team.

My score prediction is pretty conservative with Iowa State’s offense struggling, but the Cyclones will roll in this one.

Matt Belinson, assistant sports editor (2-3)

Iowa State 35, Kansas 7

Iowa State can congratulate Kansas all it likes on having an up-and-coming program. I don’t believe it but hey, crazier things have happened.

Whether you take anything Matt Campbell and his players said Tuesday seriously or not, I can say with certainty Kansas is going to be destroyed Saturday.

I am not sugar-coating it here. 

Kansas has been defeated by an average of 30 points per game this season, including blowouts to teams like West Virginia and Kansas State who aren’t exactly offensive juggernauts in this conference.

Kansas has no real offense or any defensive players that scare me to keep with the Halloween spirit. In fact, the only thing scarier than Halloween on Saturday will be the final box score for this game. Good luck Jayhawks, you’re going to need it.

Stephen McDaniel, assistant sports editor (3-2)

Iowa State 45, Kansas 17

Look, Iowa State has won five straight games against Kansas and is coming off a tough and close loss to an Oklahoma State team that’s knocking on the door of being a top five team in the country.

Even against one of the best, if not the best, defenses the Big 12 Conference has to offer, Breece Hall still put up a career-high 185 rushing yards and a touchdown. I just don’t see 0-5 Kansas being the ones to finally hold Hall under 100 rushing yards for the first time this season.

This is also an excellent opportunity for Brock Purdy and the pass game — outside of the tight ends and Xavier Hutchinson — to finally get back on the same page.

Even on the opposite side of the ball, the Cyclones defense is going up against a Jawhawks offense that may feature a true freshman quarterback in Jalon Daniels while not featuring star running back Pooka Williams.

To make a long story short: Iowa State’s firepower on offense and defense will simply be too much for a historically bad Kansas team.

Kylee Haueter, news editor of student life

Iowa State 35, Kansas 3

For me, this was an easy pick. In my soul, I want to give Kansas zero points but I know that’s not realistic so I gave them a few.

My family lives in Kansas. If I’m being candid, I really, really hate it.

This pick is in no way based on skill or statistics or any logical means. I could not name a single player on the Kansas football team. I think their colors are red, white and blue(?). Also, their mascot is a Jayhawk I think.

To put it simply, I’m picking Iowa State in a blowout purely because I think the state sucks.

The most exciting part about where I live in Kansas is a farmer’s market. Kansas City is OK but let’s be real, the best part of Kansas City is in Missouri.

I’m a city kid. I’m originally from Minnesota, right outside Minneapolis. In our Kansas town, our neighborhood is literally full of cows. Cows are cute and all but not when I have to live next to them and smell them.

If you’re from Kansas, please don’t send me hate emails. I’m sure you’re a great person and I appreciate you as an individual.

If you live in Kansas, I’m sorry — not sorry for insulting the state, but sorry you live in Kansas.