Zane Douglas, sports editor (2-2)

Oklahoma State 28, Iowa State 24

I’ve gone back and forth with this one, but after choosing the answer, it felt right to me. This game will go to Oklahoma State.

Yes, Iowa State is hot right now, and yes, October is a good month for Cyclone football, but we aren’t discussing just how potent this Oklahoma State team is.

If Spencer Sanders is back — which it seems like he should be — then Iowa State will be in a lot of trouble with the returning big three of Sanders, Chuba Hubbard and Tylan Wallace.

Hubbard is having a bit of a down year, but there is no reason to expect that to continue, and the Cyclones have had only one glaring hole on defense this year in their ability to limit the big plays.

A stingy defense from Iowa State won’t be enough to stop a couple momentum-shifting plays, which will give the Cowboys a chance to win.

I do think that it will come down to the final drive with Iowa State getting a chunk of time to come down and win the game, but the Oklahoma State defense, which ranks second in the FBS in points allowed per game to this point, will be too strong, and the Cyclones will fall.

Matt Belinson, assistant sports editor (2-2)

Iowa State 28, Oklahoma State 21

This might be the toughest game for me to pick in a long time. And to be 100 percent transparent, I truly don’t know what this game will turn out to be. So much about these two teams is up in the air.

On one hand, you could say Oklahoma State has played no real competition up to this point and its 3-0 record is misleading. Iowa State’s defense is really good, easily the best defense the Cowboys have seen up to this point, and maybe the best they’ll get all season.

But on the other hand, Iowa State has not played an offense like this. Sorry, Sooner fans, but that offense we saw Oct. 3 was not a typical Oklahoma offense and pales in comparison to what the Cowboys bring to the table. 

An offense that features Chuba Hubbard, Tylan Wallace, Braydon Johnson, La’Darren (LD) Brown and Spencer Sanders is bound to cause some trouble for Iowa State. But how much trouble are we talking? 

Even with all of this uncertainty on who both teams really are, I think the Cyclones have been playing better football than Oklahoma State and will be able to dominate on at least one side of the ball Saturday.

Which side will it be? Your guess is as good as mine.

This truly is a toss up pick for me, but for the sake of making clear predictions, I will vote in favor of the Cyclones.

Stephen McDaniel, assistant sports editor (2-2)

Oklahoma State 31, Iowa State 28

I’m going to be honest, this is the most unconfident I’ve felt on a pick so far.

I see a lot of similarities between these two teams, but for now, give me Oklahoma State taking this game, and maybe we’ll see a potential rematch for the Big 12 Championship, depending on how the season goes.

This game is going to be a run game shootout between the two best running backs in the Big 12: Iowa State’s Breece Hall and Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard. There’s no doubt in my mind these two will be responsible for a good chunk of the touchdowns scored in this game.

Up and down the roster, this is one of the best teams Iowa State will face on either side of the ball this year, and I can definitely see them struggling against the No. 6-ranked team in the country that’s defending its own turf.

This will be one of those games where we get to see if Iowa State really has what it takes to claim the throne of the Big 12 Conference. It just depends what Cyclones team we see on Saturday.

Zach Martin, columnist (3-1)

Iowa State 35, Oklahoma State 34

I was the only one that had the stones to pick Iowa State to beat Oklahoma a handful of weeks ago.

Do I have the same stones? Yes, but I’m not all that confident.

Look, the simple fact is Purdy and Hall are going to have to win this game. As much as we rave about the Cyclones’ defense, they struggled against the Sooners. They’ll struggle against the Cowboys.

Will they struggle enough where they bend but don’t break, just like against Oklahoma? Probably. Even without Isheem Young for a half, that secondary should at least hold steady.

How real is Oklahoma State’s defense? I’m not entirely sold.

West Virginia was the best offense it faced. Sure, it held them to 13 points, which is impressive. But that’s its best win. It hasn’t face a quarterback like Purdy and definitely hasn’t battled a running back like Hall.

When the horn sounds, Iowa State will literally be in the driver’s seat for a berth in the Big 12 Championship game. 

Guest pick: Collin Maguire, visuals editor

Iowa State 31, Oklahoma State 27

Stop. The. Run. That’s the key for the Cyclones’ suppression of the lucrative Cowboy offense.

No one has been able to put up more than 120 rushing yards against the Cyclones. Stopping Chuba Hubbard should give Brock Purdy’s offense enough room to do damage.

However, the Cowboys’ secondary presents Purdy’s toughest task yet, but enter Breece Hall to save the day.

Rushing for 531 yards and eight touchdowns over four games, Hall has been one of the most efficient backs in the Big 12 thus far. This doesn’t mean Purdy can take the day off, though.

If Purdy isn’t connecting, it could turn sour fast. I don’t quite believe the Cowboys were tested by the strengths of Tulsa, Kansas and West Virginia. If the Cyclones show up ready to play, it’s their ballgame to win.