Matt Campbell has built himself into one of college football’s hottest coaches by turning Iowa State from Big XII also-ran into a top 25 program. He can notch his sixth win over a ranked program in three years by toppling No. 19 Texas on its home field.
Iowa State vs. Texas 2018 live stream: Time, TV schedule, and how to watch online
Iowa State is one of the nation’s hottest teams, but winning in Austin requires more than just heat.
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The Longhorns have vacillated through an up-and-down season that’s seen highs like a win over Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown and lows like a Week 1 defeat to Maryland (for the second year in a row). Texas will have to prove it’s stabilized after a two-game losing streak dropped the team to the tail end of the rankings. Last week’s victory over Texas Tech helped, but knocking off a surprising Iowa State team would make the case Tom Herman’s team belongs in the top 15.
The Cyclones are one of the nation’s hottest teams thanks to a five-game winning streak, but they haven’t beaten a ranked opponent since shocking West Virginia on October 13. Beating the Longhorns is the last major hurdle between ISU and the program’s best regular season record since 1944. If Campbell can leave Austin with a win, he could even make the case for a spot on the New Year’s Day docket.
Iowa State vs. Texas prediction:
The S&P+ ratings aren’t especially fond of either team. Iowa State clocks in at No. 34 while Texas is ranked 41st (17 slots behind North Texas!). But while the numbers may favor the road team, I believe the only proper response to this week’s University of Texas game is:
Ok. Cool
Hook em! 🤘
Longhorns by 30.
Time, TV channel, and streaming info
Iowa State vs. Texas news:
- Tom Herman has some high praise for ISU QB Brock Purdy, even if it’s not especially specific.
“Purdy is — the guy is undefeated. He’s 5-0,” Herman said of what he’s most impressed with about Purdy. “He’s got a ton of moxie, nothing phases that kid. It doesn’t matter the opponent, the atmosphere, the stadium, he’s got that “it” factor, and he’s got really, really good legs.”
“He can make plays with his feet when things break down, and not just as a runner but he can extend plays and throw the ball down the field,”
- But Johnnie Land might be the under-the-radar threat that derails the Longhorns Saturday.
- How are things going on Texas’s recruiting trail? Good enough to convince a three-star prospect to come aboard as a preferred walk-on.
- Saturday’s showdown might just be the biggest game in Iowa State program history.
What’s Brock Purdy got in store for the Longhorns?
The Iowa State freshman has been a huge part of the team’s revival, starting each game of the Cyclones’ recent five-game winning streak. He’s recorded a 13:2 TD:INT ratio over that span, which includes wins over Oklahoma State and West Virginia. But he’s also a true freshman who’s never experienced a hostile Darrell K. Royal Stadium before, and he’ll be facing the nation’s 10th-ranked red zone defense.
If anyone on the back end of the ISU schedule can get to Purdy, it’s Texas. But can the Longhorns succeed where five other Big 12 teams have failed?
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