Iowa State's wary of one-win Oklahoma State on Saturday in Stillwater

AMES — When Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell looks at Oklahoma State, he doesn’t see a desperate football team.

He sees a dangerous — albeit winless in Big 12 play — one.

“I think it’s so hard in our sport today to even look at anybody’s record,” said Campbell, whose Cyclones (7-4, 4-4) seek to close the regular season on a three-game win streak by beating the Cowboys (1-10, 0-8) at 11 a.m. Saturday (ESPNU) in Stillwater. “Because the reality (is), what do you see on the videotape? All you’ve gotta do is watch the last two games — how (Oklahoma State) is playing, it’s a tribute to their leadership. It’s a tribute to the attitude and effort, and we know what Oklahoma State football is about. It’s a place that’s got great pride, great tradition.”

But the Cowboys also haven’t won a conference game since beating BYU, 40-34, exactly two years ago that secured them a spot in the Big 12 title game.

Oklahoma State’s gone 0-17 in conference play ever since, but its last two losses — a 14-6 setback to Kansas State at home, and a 17-14 defeat at UCF — showcase the pride that Campbell referenced. So ISU’s approaching Saturday’s game as anything but a cakewalk, despite the Cowboys’ ongoing struggles, and despite being a two-touchdown favorite according to Las Vegas oddsmakers.

“It’s gonna be senior day down there, and they’ve got great seniors playing great football,” said Campbell, whose team has already locked up its eighth winning season in the past nine years. “I think they’re a team that’s playing their best football right now at the end of the season. … It’s gonna be a test every step of the way. I think our kids know that, though, and they’ve got enough respect for Oklahoma State, the battles we’ve had over the years, you’d might as well throw any record out, because it’s gonna take everything you’ve got to be able to go win the football game and play our best football.”

Arguably, the Cyclones are doing that, as they excelled at complementary football in last week’s 38-14 turning of Kansas to snap a three-game skid in the series. Offensively, ISU quarterback Rocco Becht threw just five incompletions while notching three touchdown passes with no interceptions. And tailback Carson Hansen ran for 100-plus yards in his fifth straight game, which helped the Cyclones forge a 2-to-1 advantage in time of possession against the Jayhawks.

That dominance helped the ISU defense hold Kansas to just 14 points, which matched this season’s Arizona win for its fewest points allowed in a conference game since a 30-10 win at Cincinnati on Oct. 14, 2023.

“Part of our solution (last) Saturday was our offense,” veteran Cyclones defensive coordinator Jon Heacock said. “I thought our guys did a great job of controlling the football, controlling the game. We were able to get some stops early that was critical in the game, and (got) some momentum, so I just think their attitude — this whole building, I’ve said it before. You come into this building, and every time things don’t go as you want them to — I’ve been places where it’s not always like this, but you come in here, things don’t go the way you want them to on Saturday, everybody here thinks it’s their fault. And that’s a pretty cool feeling.”

Winning produces a similar feeling, of course, and that’s why Campbell and his staff won’t shortchange any opponent, no matter the record, no matter the point spread.

“In the Big 12, you can win or lose the game any given Saturday,” safety Drew Surges said. “That’s how it is. So you’ve gotta play your best every game.”

Injury update

Campbell said safeties Jamison Patton and Ta’Shawn James will likely be out again this week, but fellow safety Josh Patterson has an outside chance of returning. He also said senior linebacker Caleb Bacon — who did not engage in senior day festivities last week — will return next season because he obtained a medical redshirt by missing almost all of last season.

“That was a quick determination,” Campbell said. “(He’ll) be back next year.”

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