Iowa State – Will they win the close games this year?
In a 2019 season where Iowa State went 7-6, the storyline could have been completely different for the Cyclones, had they won their close games.
Of their five regular-season losses last season, four were by decided by one possession or less. The largest defeat of those four was to Oklahoma State, where Iowa State lost 34-27 after a fourth-quarter pick-six thrown by Brock Purdy.
The other three games were decided by a total of four points. Both arch-rival Iowa and Oklahoma beat the Cyclones by one point, while Baylor scraped by with a two-point victory in Waco.
No matter the sport, it is difficult to repeat your record of close scoring games. If Iowa State can go as little as 2-3 in those five games instead of 0-5, a record of 9-3 seems a whole lot better than 7-6.
With running back Breece Hall returning, Purdy entering his junior season, and a defense who sees most of its talent returning from 2019, Iowa State will be a fringe Big 12 championship team if they cant put it all together.