Peterson: Iowa State football's bad offense made Oklahoma's bad defense look decent

AMES − Anyone still holding out hope for Iowa State reaching a sixth bowl game in a row had better find a miracle cure the Cyclones' offense.

Iowa State took its fifth loss in a row Saturday, 27-13 against so-so Oklahoma at Jack Trice Stadium. A 3-5 overall record with half of its four regular-season games remaining to be played on the road. The Cyclones need to win three of them to become bowl-eligible.

A fifth loss in a row after Saturday’s 27-13 loss against only so-so Oklahoma at Jack Trice Stadium. A 3-5 overall record with half its four regular-season games remaining to be played on the road.

The program has sent running backs Breece Hall, David Montgomery and Kene Nwangwu to the NFL. But Iowa State’s once-proud rushing game seem like a thing of the past.

For the score to even be that close was another credit to the defense in a game that included more Iowa State dropped passes than usual, three Hunter Dekkers interceptions and some predictable play calling.

More:Iowa State football live score updates: Cyclones trail Oklahoma 20-13

The bottom line of all this is that a bad Oklahoma defense outplayed a bad Iowa State offense.

One series of plays defined that. Dekkers scrambled out of the end zone 28 yards to the Cyclones 30-yard line with 5:47 remaining in the game. Great play. The guy can run the ball, and he showed it.

Next play? Interception.

"Our inability to find consistency really puts us behind the 8-ball offensively," coach Matt Campbell said.

Good Cyclones, not good Cyclones on consecutive plays.

Thank goodness for the defense

Where would the Cyclones be without it?

Probably with fewer than the three wins the Cyclones have posted this season.

"Our defense gave us every chance to stay in the football game and win the football game," Campbell said.

He's right.

Iowa State’s four-and-out play call

Fourth-and-1 at the Cyclones 47-yard line. Everyone in the stadium knew what was coming next. A handoff into the line. Cartevious Norton lost a yard, and yet another head-scratcher of a decision.

Why does the Cyclones quarterback continue playing behind center rather than under him?

I applaud coach Matt Campbell and offensive coordinator Tom Manning trying to get the first down on those situations. I wonder, though, why taking the snap from under center Trevor Downing isn’t a better option?

It was just last April when Campbell gave the senior from Creston the ultimate compliment.

“He’s got a chance to be one of the elite interior linemen in all of college football,” Campbell said. “You saw that really happen a year ago. You watch him in the Clemson game and how the offense all of a sudden came together. I think a lot of that was because of Trevor.”

But even Downing isn’t perfect

On third-and-one at Oklahoma’s 47-yard line, and Dekkers predictably in the shotgun formation, Downing’s snap sailed over the quarterback’s head.

Dekkers recovered at the Cyclones’ 39, and again, I wonder why quarterbacks don’t play under center on third-and-short situations.

"It’s a detail thing I’ve seen that happen two or three times now this season," Campbell said. "We get inside the opponent 40-yard line, and we have something happen between the exchange of the quarterback and the center. The reality of the situation is, man, it can’t happen. Those are critical errors we must find a way to get addressed.”

I saw improvement on some Iowa State special teams.

Jace Gilbert made two field goals.

Punter Tyler Perkins had a 57-yard punt downed at Oklahoma’s 4-yard line.

Two of Keegan Shackford’s kickoffs went into the end zone and weren't returned.

Small steps, maybe, but encouraging.

Another intriguing wrinkle to Iowa State’s interesting special teams play

Just when was the last time you’ve seen a kicker score seven points on one possession?

That’s what happened after Oklahoma went to its bag of tricks on a fourth-down play at Iowa State’s 2-yard line in the second quarter.

The Sooners lined up for a field goal, then holder Michael Turk suddenly flipped the ball to kicker Zach Schmit. He carried the ball untouched into the end zone.

And oh by the way, Schmit kicked the extra point, so that’s all seven points.

I can’t totally fault the special teams players on the field in traditional opponent field goal situations. That’s trickery. Iowa State might want to think about trying some of that during the remainder of the season.

And speaking of Zach Schmit

After scoring 14 points Saturday, if he doesn’t get the conference’s weekly special teams player award, then I want to see statistics of who did.

Two successful field goals. A non-returnable kickoff or two. A touchdown. Two PATs.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson embarked on his 50th year of writing sports for the Des Moines Register in December 2021. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football thoughts include why Dekkers doesn't rush more