Oklahoma-Iowa State GameDay: X-Factors
John Hoover: Field Position
Iowa State isn’t good on either kickoff returns (17.5 yards per return, ninth in the Big 12) or punt returns (4.8, last). The Sooners, with dynamic Marvin Mims on punt returns (19.7-yard average) and explosive Jalil Farooq on kickoff returns (27.2), have a big advantage here, especially if punter Michael Turk can get off a couple of his usual sky bombs. Field position will play a big part for a team like OU that’s trying to score on the Big 12’s best defense while also trying to mitigate the Big 12’s worst defense. If Turk can pin the Cyclones deep a couple times, or if the Sooners can generate a big hit or two on kickoff coverage, maybe the Iowa State offense — tied for 10th-worst in the nation with 10 giveaways — will cough it up and OU can score on a short field.
Ryan Chapman: Patience
Big 12 quarterbacks are all too familiar with the challenge Iowa State’s defense poses. Dropping back into their umbrella coverages, the Cyclones make offenses execute time and time again to move the ball down the field. Eric Gray leads the country in yards per carry, and offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby will likely lean on him, but Dillon Gabriel will need to be patient and avoid forcing the ball into double and triple coverage when he drops back to pass. Gabriel won’t need to throw the ball 30 times to have a good outing in Ames, he’ll just have to find open receivers and methodically move the Oklahoma offense down the field for the Sooners to put points on the board at Jack Trice Stadium.
Josh Callaway: Forcing Turnovers
As has been well-established by now, Iowa State's defense is quite good. Oklahoma probably has enough talent offensively to still drive the ball and put points on the board, but it sure would make a mighty difference in this game if they could get a short field a time or two. Enter the turnover game for the OU defense, which showed up a bit against Kansas two weeks ago with a pair of interceptions. The turnover battle is always huge in essentially every game, but in a game that is close to a pick 'em on the road, some big momentum-shifting plays could be sorely needed for the Sooners in this game. A defensive score, or even just giving the offense a short field, could make all the difference in the world in a win or a loss for Oklahoma on Saturday. If OU doesn't find a way to force at least one turnover in this game, their chances of winning go down tremendously.
Ross Lovelace: Defensive momentum
Iowa State’s defense is an elite unit, one of the conference’s best. No matter how good Oklahoma’s offense performs, the Cyclones are going to register multiple stops. The key for the Sooners’ defense is to continue to offset the momentum by matching the stops. We’ve seen multiple occasions this season where Oklahoma’s defense gives up a few early touchdowns and the game completely spirals. Even though Iowa State’s offense isn’t as high-powered as Oklahoma’s previous opponents, every conference game is dangerous until the Sooners prove otherwise. Matching stops will be key for the defense on Saturday afternoon, a unit that needs to step up.
