The Cyclones are still searching for a Big 12 football win; however, head coach Matt Campbell said the problems could be fixed with small tweaks rather than a complete overhaul.

Campbell talked about how he feels the team has been able to do the big things, like making key third-down stops. What he feels that the team has struggled with is winning the moment late in games.

“Some of the harder things that there are to do in football, we’ve done a really good job of,” Campbell said. “We’ve had the ability, or the inability, to win the moment.”

These late-game struggles have been apparent in Big 12 play, as all four Big 12 losses for the Cyclones have come in one-possession games.

Running backs Jirehl Brock and Cartevious Norton have been battling injuries for much of the first half of the season. Without this rushing game, it has been a struggle for the Cyclones to move the ball.

Campbell discussed this in his press conference, mentioning that getting this balance back would be a major factor in the offensive success.

“When you look at us, we certainly want to be a balanced football team,” Campbell said. “We found a little bit of that by committee at Texas.”

On paper, there was still not much of a rushing attack, with the Cyclones tallying 88 yards on 28 carries, but Campbell felt it had an impact.

Campbell said that the bye week has allowed the Cyclones to be the healthiest they have been all year long.
New Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables came over from Clemson after serving as the defensive coordinator for the Tigers.

Venables has Oklahoma at a 4-3 record, and Campbell thinks Venables has a bright future with the Sooners and said he has gotten to know Venables well over the last few years.

“There’s some coaches in this profession that are in it for the right reason,” Campbell said. “That care about kids. That want to see things done the right way.”

The Cyclones will need to win three of the last five games left on the schedule to be guaranteed a bowl game. The problem is that this year there are no free wins in the Big 12.

Campbell discussed this and said that there could be an argument made that this is the deepest the conference has been.

“Top to bottom as good as its been,” Campbell said.

The game is set to begin at 11 a.m. Saturday in Ames, Iowa, and will be aired on FS1.