Iowa State @ Oklahoma State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 26, 2013 ) Oklahoma State 58, Iowa State 27

The loss of quarterback J.W. Walsh was supposed to put the Oklahoma State Cowboys in a bind, but they've emerged as one of the Big 12's preeminent offensive juggernauts entering Saturday's encounter with visiting Iowa State. Backup Daxx Garman has assumed the starting role and is thriving, having racked up 929 yards passing with eight touchdowns to lead the No. 23 Cowboys to three straight wins. The Cyclones are coming off a 49-28 loss to Baylor.

Iowa State will need to get its running game going if it has any chance of marching out of Boone Pickens Stadium with an upset victory. The Cyclones have avaraged just 104 rushing yards per contest - good for 110th in the nation entering the week's action - and its 3.4 yards-per-carry mark is tied for the worst in the conference. Oklahoma State has outscored Iowa State 89-37 in two meetings - both wins - since dropping a 37-31 double-OT decision in 2011.

TV: Noon ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Oklahoma State -17

ABOUT IOWA STATE (1-3, 0-2 Big 12): Cyclones head coach Paul Rhoads was irate after his running back tandem of DeVondrick Nealy and Aaron Wimberly managed a paltry 13 yards on 12 carries in last week's loss to the Bears. "There is no running attack," he told reporters afterward. "You've got to run the football ... if you want to be successful. We're not even scratching the surface at doing that." Rhoads had plenty of blame to go around, criticizing the bulk of the offense - receivers and tight ends included - for shoddy blocking against Baylor.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (3-1, 1-0): Garman was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week Monday after racking up 370 yards through the air and five touchdowns - four passing and one on the ground - in last week's shootout win over Texas Tech. That's not bad for a 21-year-old Oklahoma City native who hadn't started a game at any level of competition in five years prior to a 43-13 triumph over Texas-San Antonio on Sept. 13. Like Iowa State, the Cowboys will look to improve their running game while sitting in the middle of the Big 12 in total rushing yards (687) on a modest 4.1 yards per carry.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Oklahoma State is 13-2 in its last 15 conference home games.

2. The Cowboys are eighth in the Big 12 in average time of possession (27:48), while the Cyclones are ninth (27:06).

3. The Oklahoma State defense has held opposing offenses to three or fewer yards on first down 58.3 percent of the time.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 38, Iowa State 20