State of the Big 12: Iowa State Primed for Another Impressive Season

We’re just over two months away from the start of the college football season. Why not fill the time until then by taking a look around the Big 12 at Oklahoma State’s conference foes.

So far we’ve checked in on Texas Tech and TCU. Now we’re heading north to the plains of Ames to see why Iowa State could actually have an even better year than 2017’s impressive turnaroud season.

Offense

While getting quarterback Kyle Kempt back for a sixth season is big for the Cyclones, the most important returning piece is easily running back David Montgomery.

The junior back led the team with 1,146 yards and 11 touchdowns. On the downside he averaged just 4.1 yards per carry over his final 10 games. But that was due partly to the fact that teams started loading up to slow Montgomery down. What was super impressive though was that he forced over 100 missed tackles and averaged 3.5 yards per carry after contact.

This year Iowa State is expected to have an improved and more experienced offensive line which should help him keep his averages up later into the season, which is why he’s definitely going to be in the running for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

“Montgomery would benefit from more holes,” said Alex Halsted of 247Sports. “Part of the reason that forced missed tackle number is so high is because he had to break them. If he doesn’t have to break so many he can get up through the hole and get more yards that way.”

He’s going to have to do a lot with 53 percent of ISU’s receptions from 2017 now gone. The guy most likely to be asked to step up is junior Hakeem Butler. He was second on the team in receiving yards and touchdowns (697 and 7) and T2nd in receptions (41).

Montgomery is going to be the workhorse but if Kempt is allowed to sling it a little more than last year, and a couple of receivers step up, they could be hard to stop.

Defense

The Cyclones have two strengths on the defensive side of the ball: their defensive line and at cornerback.

The D-Line could be ISU’s best in a long time and one of the best in the conference. Junior pass-rusher, and returning sack leader JaQuan Bailey could cause some problems for teams. Matt Campbell feels good about Enyi Uwazurike and Ray Lima, plus there’s plenty of depth.

In the backfield, ISU returns three senior corners in De’Monte Ruth, D’Andre Payne, and maybe the best returning cornerback in the Big 12, Brian Peavy. The three combined for 165 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 14 pass breakups last season.

On the flip side, there is real concern about the safety position, where the Cyclones will have to replace their top four players from last season.

If this team is anything like last year, it will start on defense. If it can find some players at safety, and someone to replace Joel Lanning at Mike linebacker, they could have another impressive defense. If not, it will put even more pressure on David Montgomery and Kyle Kempt.

Versus Oklahoma State

The Cowboys and Cyclones will face off the first week of October. OSU will be back in Stillwater a week after traveling to Lawrence, Kansas, while the Cyclones will be on the road for the second straight week.

Mike Gundy is 8-2 against the Cyclones since he took over and has won six straight. Despite the streak, the last three have been close, all being decided by, at most, a touchdown.

ESPN gives the Cowboys a 74.2 percent chance to push the winning streak to seven this season.

While the Cowboys have won six straight, they’ve had to mount comebacks three years in a row. Matt Campbell is building something in Ames — something good And there’s no reason to think it won’t keep getting better. While the Cyclones have yet to pass OSU, you have to think they’re close to finally getting over the hump and holding a lead to the end against the Cowboys. OSU will need to take ISU seriously to avoid the upset this season.