The Oklahoma Sooners return to Norman for a matchup against the [autotag]Iowa State Cyclones[/autotag] in their [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] home opener. Oklahoma has historically dominated this rivalry, owning a 79-7-2 advantage.
But two of those wins by Iowa State have come since coach [autotag]Matt Campbell[/autotag] took over in 2016. The Cyclones have been a thorn in the Sooners’ side. A big reason is the great defense they play.
Defensive coordinator [autotag]Jon Heacock[/autotag] runs a 3-3-5 defense that allows teams to throw stuff underneath but takes away the big plays. No matter if it was Lincoln Riley’s historic offenses or Jeff Lebby’s offense a year ago, Heacock has had success shutting down Oklahoma.
This year might not be any different: The Cyclones bring in the 19th-ranked defense nationally. They also rank 22nd in pass defense. So, the Sooners will have their work cut out for them again this year.
