Good Cop

By Noah Rohlfing

Ok, fine. I messed up.

I was certain that Jacob Park was going to pick apart the Texas defense and make the Longhorns look silly.

I was dead wrong. 

Texas laid out the blueprint for how to beat Iowa State last Thursday. Pressure Jacob Park early and make him see ghosts in the backfield. Eliminate David Montgomery from the game entirely. Then, just sit back and watch it implode. It worked like a charm, and made me look like a buffoon. 

Will the Sooners follow the Longhorns’ lead? Probably not.

Mike Stoops, Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator, runs a three-man defensive line that doesn’t pressure with regularity. It’s a topic that my dad’s side of the family, full of Sooner fans, has made very clear to me over the past couple of years.

They’re not big fans.

This defense can be one of the best in the country on its day, but too often Stoops plays it safe. 

After a great defensive performance against Ohio State and a cakewalk game against Tulane (Green Wave forever), The Sooners’ defense looked awful against Baylor. They gave up 463 yards through the air against an 0-5 team, and failed to put any pressure on a struggling quarterback. 

If Oklahoma fails to put pressure on Jacob Park early on, he can have a bounce back game. 

Another big key for Iowa State is to get the best players on the team the football. David Montgomery was underutilized against Texas. He needs more than 12 touches against the Sooners. 

Montgomery is vital to the Cyclones’ success Saturday. He can make something out of nothing, make people miss and keep drives moving. That’s crucial when Baker Mayfield is on the other sideline. 

Iowa State pulls though in a shocker. 

Prediction:

ISU 30, OU 28

Bad Cop

By Garrett Kroeger

Welcome to Professor Kroeger’s Iowa State football history class 101. Today’s topic, the Oklahoma Sooners.

Fact No. 1: The Cyclones all-time record against the Sooners is five wins, 74 losses, and two ties. However, Iowa State has been better on the road against Oklahoma, as it has won three in Sooner territory.

Fact No. 2: Last win over the Sooners was back in 1990, when the Cyclones won 33-31 on the road. That means a vast majority of Iowa State students today haven’t seen the Cardinal and Gold defeat the Crimson and Cream during the Cyclones 18-game losing streak.

As you can see, Iowa State has struggled (to say the least) against Oklahoma. But if that does not sell you enough in the slim chances the Cyclones have come Saturday, here is fact No. 3: The Sooners have quarterback Baker Mayfield, who can make any team look foolish.

So, expect a lot of Boomer Sooner to be played through your televisions this Saturday.

Prediction:

OU 56, ISU 21