Three games remain on the schedule for No. 17 Iowa State, and the Cyclones find themselves atop the Big 12 standings.
This week, Iowa State faces another test when it hosts Kansas State, who sits just a game behind the Cyclones in the conference race. Will Iowa State continue to dial up the magic and move closer to its first Big 12 Championship?
How to watch Kansas State at Iowa State
- What: Kansas State (4-3, 4-2 Big 12) at No. 17 Iowa State (5-2, 5-1)
- When: 3 p.m. CST, Saturday, Nov. 21
- Where: MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium
- TV: Fox
- Online livestream: Fox Sports Go
- Radio: Cyclone Radio Network
- Satellite Radio: Sirius Channel 106
- Online Radio Stream: TuneIn
- Live Stats: Cyclonestats.com
Oddsmakers strongly behind Iowa State
Oddsmakers are liking Iowa State for this conference clash on Saturday.
| Kansas State at Iowa State Week 12 Odds | DraftKings | FanDuel | Fox Bet | PointsBet | William Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point spread (-110 juice unless noted) | KST +11 -112 ISU -11 -109 | KST +10.5 -108 ISU -10.5 -112 | KST +11 ISU -11 | KST +11 ISU -11 | KST +11 ISU -11 |
| Moneyline | KST +340 IST -455 | KST +370 IST -520 | KST +360 IST -450 | KST +320 IST -420 | KST +330 IST -430 |
| Total points (-110 juice unless noted) | O 46.5 -112 U 46.5 -109 | O 46.5 U 46.5 | O 46.5 U 46.5 | O 46.5 U 46.5 | O 46.5 U 46.5 |
The majority see Iowa State as an 11-point favorite at home. FanDuel is the lone differing voice, as it has Iowa State as just a 10.5-point favorite.
The moneylines are pretty high for Iowa State. The Cyclones range anywhere from -420 to -520. For Kansas State, the lines range from +320 to +370.
When it comes to the over/under, it is a unanimous 46.5 points across the board from the sportsbooks.
Kansas State can even series with ISU
It doesn’t get much closer than the all-time series between Kansas State and Iowa State.
The Cyclones hold a 50-49-4 advantage on the Wildcats, but K-State has won 11 of the last 12 in the series.
The lone win during that stretch was in 2018, the last time Iowa State hosted. The Cyclones earned a 42-38 victory.
Iowa sports bettors have scored big on the underdog in this series. The betting dog has covered in six straight meetings.
Public betting is currently split on this one. Iowa State is getting a slight advantage with 51% of the wagers thus far.
Cyclones hoping to keep riding Hall
Iowa State’s success has been due largely to running back Breece Hall.
The sophomore back is leading the nation in rushing by over 100 yards on the field. He has 1,034 yards on 165 carries this season. Included in that is 13 touchdowns.
Hall has rushed for over 100 yards and scored in every game this season.
He should be able to run wild in this game as well. Kansas State is giving up 161 yards per game on the ground, which ranks in the bottom half of the Big 12.
Quarterback Brock Purdy has been a good compliment to Hall. The junior has thrown for 1,477 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is now the winningest QB in Iowa State’s history against Big 12 opponents, putting together a 16-6 record in conference games.
Defensively, Iowa State is holding opponents to just 360.1 yards per game. Even in the 38-31 win over Baylor two weeks ago, the Cyclones gave up just 366 yards. It was four turnovers that allowed the Bears to keep pace with ISU.
Kansas State struggling with injuries, COVID-19
Kansas State has dropped back-to-back games to West Virginia and Oklahoma State coming into this weekend’s contest.
The Wildcats weren’t competitive in a 37-10 loss to the Mountaineers, but they did lead Oklahoma State 12-0 before eventually losing 20-18.
The Wildcats have also been dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak during the bye week. Coach Chris Kleiman came into the week saying his roster was “right on the cups” of falling below the conference threshold to be able to play this week.
Typically known for smash-mouth football that is tough up front, Kansas State has struggled to establish a consistent ground game while giving up a lot against the run.
This season, Kansas State is putting up just 130 rushing yards per game, which ranks eighth in the Big 12.
The offense wasn’t helped when it lost starting QB Skylar Thompson for the season due to a shoulder injury in October.
Will Howard has taken his place and completed just 54.4 percent of his passes. Howard has 884 yards passing with five touchdowns and five interceptions. He is also the second-leading rusher with 232 yards and two scores.
Deuce Vaughn is the team’s leading rusher with 371 yards on 87 carries with four touchdowns. Vaughn is also the leading receiver with 16 catches for 366 yards and a TD.
