Oklahoma State Opens as Underdog Against Iowa State
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The Oklahoma State Cowboys aren't having a picture-perfect start to the season. As a matter of fact, they're having a more than subpar start to the season, despite an early 2-1 record.
Who knows -- maybe starting Big 12 play will open things up for the Cowboys after escaping with wins in Week 1 and Week 2 before an embarrassing loss on Saturday evening.
The rest of the Big 12 is in a rough spot right now. Only Oklahoma and Texas are ranked teams in the conference, and each of those programs has one foot out of the conference in their farewell season.
Heading into Week 4 and the beginning of conference play, Oklahoma State is a 2.5-point underdog to the Iowa State Cyclones, according to OddsChecker.
The Cyclones haven't had a wonderful start to the season, either. They defeated Northern Iowa in Week 1 before dropping games to both Iowa and Ohio.
This game is projected to be close not because both teams have started their seasons off with heaters, but because both have been underwhelming and this could turn into a slugfest.
For either team, this win could be a big turning point. The Cowboys truthfully have the opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the season. If Mike Gundy establishes a QB1 and he performs well in a solid win, Pokes fans might restore hope for the conference schedule. However a loss in a slow, low-scoring game? Fans might completely write the season off.
The Cowboys won their last matchup against the Cyclones, winning last season 20-14. Two years ago, the Cyclones defeated the Cowboys 24-21, but that Cowboys team went 12-2.
Other than the quarterback debacle, the Cowboys' season is going similarly to the 2021 season that ended in a close Big 12 championship loss and near College Football Playoff appearance. That season, things picked up during conference play. Let's see if the underdog Cowboys can start that trend this season.
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