Iowa State vs. Houston Prediction, Game Preview, and Odds

Iowa State is getting better again.

It beat Iowa in a very close game, took two weeks off, and then blew out Arkansas State when it came back.

Now it plays a team that might be the worst in the Big 12, and then it has a home game against Baylor that it could win. All of this adds up to a pretty good schedule.

The Cyclones should quietly get a good record, but Houston will act like they need to win badly.

It had a tough game against Oklahoma, a bad game against Rice, and a bad game at Cincinnati where they lost 34-0. It can not start 1-4 because the next two games are away at TCU and Kansas.

Iowa State vs Houston Preview

Iowa State vs Houston How to Watch
Date: Saturday, September 28, 2024
Game Time: 7:00 pm ET
Venue: TDECU Stadium, Houston, TX
How to Watch: FS1
Houston (1-3), Iowa State (3-0)

Why Iowa State Will Win

Turnovers. They will be given up by Houston, so Iowa State needs to get them.

The Cougars had two more turnovers than Rice and got the win without a fight. They were down three points to Cincinnati and lost badly.

Seven times in the first three games, Iowa State took the ball away thanks to good pressure and a defense that swarmed the ball.

This team makes up for a lot of mistakes with pressure and a pass defense that only lets in 113 yards per game. That means…

Why Houston Will Win

Texas running game, your table is set.

As expected, the ground game and high turnover rate helped win the game against Rice. In the other three games, the running game was not strong enough.

The Cyclones’ defense could take a beating from Iowa, and North Dakota could also move it around a bit. Making the decision to grind a bit is the first step.

The Cougars had to throw the ball a bit against the Bearcats because that was part of their plan. But they ran the ball 42 times against Rice and only 35 times against everyone else.

If Iowa State wants to fight, let them.