2014
Iowa State
College Football
Betting Preview
Odds and Schedule
The Cyclones are looking to get back on the winning track after only three wins all of last season. They finished with two straight wins, so they’ll be hoping to build off that along with new offensive coordinator Mark Mangino, who should fuse some life into last year’s stagnant group.
If we go by the odds, then the Cyclones have very little chance to be successful this year. They are listed at odds of 1500 to 1 to win the National Title and their over/under win total is 3.5. Those odds are courtesy of 5 dimes sportsbook
Iowa State’s main question on offense is at quarterback, which isn’t a good question to have when you want to improve your record. Once again, Grant Rohach and Sam B. Richardson will compete for the job. Neither one really separated themselves last year, but Rohach seemed to have the edge in spring camp. The positives on the offense come at every other position, as they return eight starters.
Running back Aaron Wimberly can do it all out of the backfield, and can cement himself as one of the top backs in the conference. That’s a possibility because the offensive line returns all starters from a year ago. After dealing with a multitude of injuries in 2013, the unit is back with plenty of familiar faces. Top receiver Quenton Bundrage (676 yards, nine TDs) returns and is a vital playmaker for this offense. Combine him with tight end E.J. Bibbs and this group should be scoring a lot more than 24.8 points per Game.
If the offense does come around, it’s going to fall on the defense to close out Games as they only return Four starters from a unit that allowed 36 points per Game last season. The defensive line is fresh and new, almost the opposite of the other side of the ball. In all, there are seven underclassmen projected to be starters on the defensive end. Guys like DE Cory Morrissey and LB Jevohn Miller need to lead this group. The secondary isn’t all that bad, with Nigel Tribune and Sam E. Richardson on the corners.
The Cyclones have to open their season against the FCS school that beat Kansas State last year, North Dakota State. If that one doesn’t go well, ISU could easily face a 0-5 start heading into their Game against Toledo. They get Kansas State in an early season Farmageddon, followed by a road Game at in-state rival Iowa.
Iowa State’s Schedule does ease up a bit though later in the year after the Oklahoma Game on Nov. 1. They’ll have Four winnable Games to close out the year, and if they still have some confidence left, the Cyclones should win at least two of those.
Overall, the early Schedule isn’t kind to this team especially with a question at quarterback. The defense could be in trouble from the start much like in 2013. It could come down to Mangino’s offense to top last year’s three-win mark.
2014 Iowa State Football Schedule
Aug. 30 vs. North Dakota State
Sept. 6 vs. Kansas State
Sept. 13 at Iowa
Sept. 20 vs. Baylor
Oct. 4 at Oklahoma State
Oct. 11 vs. Toledo
Oct. 18 at Texas
Oct. 25 vs. Oklahoma
Nov. 1 at Kansas
Nov. 8 vs. Texas Tech
Nov. 20 vs. West Virginia
Nov. 29 at TCU