Iowa State vs Houston Prediction, Game Preview, and Betting Lines
By Pete Fiutak,
23 days ago
Iowa State is getting back up to speed.
It came up with a thriller of a win over Iowa, got two weeks off, and came back blasting against Arkansas State.
Now it gets a team that might be the worst in the Big 12, follows it up by a winnable home game against Baylor, and it all feeds into a not-bad schedule.
The Cyclones should quietly roll up a big record, but Houston will play desperate.
It gave Oklahoma a hard time, rolled Rice, and couldn’t do anything in a 34-0 loss at Cincinnati. With the next two games on the road at TCU and Kansas, it can’t start 1-4.
Iowa State Cyclones running back Carson Hansen (26) celebrates with team mates after a touchdown against Arkansas State during the first quarter in the week-4 NCAA football at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Ames, Iowa.
Turnovers. Houston will give them up, and Iowa State has to take them.
The Cougars were +2 in turnover margin against Rice and won in a walk. They were -3 against Cincinnati and got rolled.
Iowa State managed to take the ball aways seven times in the first three games with good pressure and a swarming defense.
This bunch overcomes a ton of mistakes with pressure and a pass defense allowing just 113 yards per game. That means …
Why Houston Will Win
Houston running game, your table is ready.
It’s no shocker than the ground game, combined with the turnover margin, got the job done in the win over Rice, and the rushing attack wasn’t there in the other three games.
Iowa was able to pound away on the Cyclone defensive front, and North Dakota was able to move it a little bit, too. It starts with committing to grinding a bit.
It’s a part of the game plan - the Cougars had to start throwing a bit against the Bearcats - but they ran 42 times against Rice and didn’t hand it off more than 35 times against anyone else.
It Iowa State wants to slug it out a bit, play along.
Iowa State vs Houston: Who Will Win
The Houston run defense hasn’t been all that bad. In fact, Houston hasn’t been all that bad in a whole slew of ways except for one key area.
This team just doesn’t know how to score.
Iowa State will put up points first, Houston will press, and that’s when the mistakes will come.
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