Bad cop: TCU Gridiron

Chris Wolff

You know how parents tell their young children to look away when a scary part of a PG-13 movie comes on? Well, look away, Cyclone fans, because this could get pretty R-rated.

The easy portion of Iowa State’s schedule is over. Goodbye, Kansas, and hello, No. 3 Texas Christian and No. 2 Baylor.

The good news is that the Cyclones have already faced the best offense in the country, at least in total offense, in Texas Tech. The bad news? That offense racked up 776 yards and hung 66 points on the Cyclones.

It won’t get much easier against TCU or Baylor, who both have top-five offenses. TCU averages 616 yards per game and is averaging a casual 51.7 points every time the team takes the field.

Meanwhile, it seems the only serviceable weapon for Iowa State is running back Mike Warren, who ran all over Texas Tech to the tune of 245 yards. Warren should be primed for another big game against TCU’s defense, which is ranked 87th in rushing yards allowed per game.

But is Mike Warren going to be enough to keep the Cyclones close? Probably not. His 245 yards against Texas Tech were great, but the Cyclones still lost by 35 points.

At this point, the Cyclones best defense is a good offense that can keep TCU’s potent attack sidelined. But the Cyclones offense has been so inconsistent that it’s hard to imagine Iowa State regularly sustaining long drives and keeping the Horned Frogs off the field.

The reality of the situation is that Iowa State is going to have to find a way to sustain 10-to-12-play drives all game long, because ,if it doesn’t, TCU’s quick-striking offense will run wild.

TCU quarterback and Heisman candidate Trevone Boykin is likely chomping at the bit to get out on the field Saturday, knowing he’s going against a defense that just gave up 66 points and more than 500 yards through the air.

After a close call against Kansas State last week, Boykin and TCU will leave no doubt against the Cyclones.

Bottom line: Look away ISU fans. It’s about to get ugly.

Prediction: TCU 58, Iowa State 27