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It is no secret that it is very easy to walk into Jack Trice Stadium, no matter how good the team, and lose. Oklahoma State fans felt that sting the last time that the Cowboys played in Ames (there I said it). Texas found a way to escape Ames narrowly this season on a controversial fumble call on the goal line. Sound familiar? It should, but that is another preview for another time.
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It is hard to sugar coat it, but Iowa State has struggled this season. It all started with an opening loss to FCS Northern Iowa and it hasn't gotten much better since. In one of their best offensive games of the season, the Cyclones managed to gain 410 yards in total offense.
What is the Cyclones key? Well, it is hard to tell, and that may be the issue. This team doesn't have a true offensive identity. In their one win this season against Tulsa, the Cyclones played a similar game to what they played against Northern Iowa. The argument can be that this team is just a balanced offense that doesn't necessarily need a star to succeed. Well if the Cyclones are so balanced, where is the success? For this team to succeed they have got to get quarterback Sam Richardson clicking in the running game and the passing game. He is only averaging 166 yards per game passing this season, and in the Big 12, that will never cut it. He does offer a bit of a weapon in his legs, but with only 41 rushing yards a game, there will definitely need to be more production in this area, for it to even be a formidable threat to other teams defenses.
It is just hard to get excited about this offense. The stats just show an offense that puts up numbers, but that's just it. Numbers. Nothing that will open eyes. Just numbers. Aaron Wimberly is the other seemingly bright spot on this offense. Only problem, best production came against Tulsa and Texas. As we all saw though with BYU though, just about any team that knows how to run the football, can run the football against Texas. Oklahoma State and its new look "tough as nails" defense should be able to do more than just handle the Iowa State run game.
One thing that may stick out more to Oklahoma State fans is that the Cyclones have a freshman kicker that has been money to this point. Granted kicker Cole Netten is only 3-3 compared to Ben Grogan's 5-10, but it must be nice to have seen every kick by the frosh place kicker go through the posts good.
Fear not Cowboy fans, with the stout defense that the Pokes are sporting these days, there should be no problem with a shootout, or even for that matter, a last second field goal (there I said it again). There will be closure after this game for Cowboy fans. Especially when the Cowboys win at Jack Trice Stadium, 30-7.