All Sooners

Oklahoma 2023 Schedule Preview: Iowa State

The Sooners square off against the Cyclones in Norman this fall as both teams try to bounce back from disappointing campaigns a season ago.

Ross Lovelace

Bryon Houlgrave-USA TODAY Sports
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As August closes in, AllSooners previews every game on the 2023 schedule.

Oklahoma’s 12-game regular season schedule features six home games, five road games and the annual neutral-site Red River Showdown.

After opening Big 12 play at Big 12 newcomer Cincinnati, OU welcomes in an old foe in Iowa State.

Oklahoma has a light non-conference slate after past years of playing strong Power 5 programs. After an opening conference matchup against one of the Big 12’s newbies, Oklahoma will have a tough test against Iowa State and Matt Campbell’s stout defensive unit.

Last year, for the first time since 2016, the Cyclones suffered a losing season, dropping to 4-8 overall. After competing for conference championships and putting multiple marquee players in the NFL, this seemed like a steep dropoff for Campbell, who has built Iowa State into a program of consistency. With plenty of experience returning on both sides of the ball, however, Iowa State is due for a bounce-back season.

At Big 12 Media Days, Campbell was quick to mention the Cyclones were the third-youngest team in college football a season ago.

The Cyclones need a leader to help turn the ship around, and outside of their head coach, an experienced quarterback could do just the trick. Iowa State returns Hunter Dekkers, and even though the offense struggled a season ago, it’s never bad to have an experienced signal caller in the Big 12. 

Dekkers threw for 3,044 yards and 19 touchdowns a season ago. On the flip side, he added 14 interceptions through the air, turning the ball over too many times in big moments. Campbell and the rest of the team believes in the redshirt junior, but the turnovers are an area that must be shored up for Iowa State to compete.

“Lot of talent,” Campbell said about Dekkers at Big 12 Media Days. “I think the humility has to start at the top, and when you start at the top it starts at the quarterback position. I think there are a lot of positive things that Hunter had the ability to do last year. If we can have consistency with the positives, yet humble enough to learn from taking care of the football, then I think he’ll have the ability to grow forward.

“What I’ve been really proud of with Hunter is the ability to have that humility as soon as the offseason started, and really dig deep. Where were the areas, where were the gaps, and I think he’s done a great job of that.”

Oklahoma's 2023 Schedule:

The receiving room should be a big help to Dekkers this season, led by a veteran duo of Jaylin Noel and Dimitri Stanley. Noel reeled in 61 catches for 609 yards and three touchdowns a season ago. Eastern Kentucky transfer Jayden Higgins is expected to play a big initial role for Iowa State, too.

On the ground, the Cyclones have multiple viable options at running back and could use a committee approach. As a team, running the ball was a massive weakness for Iowa State a season ago and caused many of its offensive inefficiencies. Jirehl Brock, Eli Sanders and Cartevious Norton will all have a hand in running the ball, and if the group can stay healthy, the ground attack should be much more effective this fall.

Brock especially could be slated to break out after a spring spent getting healthy. He started off last season with back-to-back 100-yard games, looking like an impact player for the Cyclones. Battling through injuries, he amassed 455 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Iowa State’s defense is the difference maker. Even though the Cyclones won just four games a season ago, the unit was ranked fourth in the country in overall defense. The rushing, passing and scoring defense were all ranked inside the top 20. It’s a massive positive for Campbell to build on heading into a bounce-back season. 

The secondary will be a strength this fall. At Media Days, Campbell called T.J. Tampa “one of the best young DBs in college football” after taking home second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2022. He had an interception and nine pass breakups a season ago, quickly turning into an impact player. Myles Purchase gives the Cyclones another impressive option at corner. In addition to the cornerback room, Iowa State’s safeties should be ready to go, too. Second-leading tackler Beau Freyler will patrol the back of the secondary once again.

Iowa State was 4-8 a season ago, but every Big 12 team would be quick to suggest they were better than their record indicated. The Cyclones weren’t far off, and like Campbell said, the team was young. 

After a year of improvement and an offseason of development, expect Campbell to have the Cyclones back on track in 2023. 

It’ll be a tough test for Dillon Gabriel and the Sooners’ new wide receiver room, going against one of the best secondaries in the Big 12. Oklahoma will have to be on its A-game against one of college football's top defenses.

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Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Experience Ross is a young, up-and-coming sports reporter who has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Sooners over the past six years. He's made guest appearances on various radio stations and has helped out with the All Sooners podcast whenever he gets the chance. Ross enjoys public speaking and has done so at multiple churches and high schools across the OKC metro area. In addition to writing, Ross has been the Play-by-Play announcer for Crossings’ basketball and football programs since 2020. In high school, Ross worked for self-starter blogs and latched onto Thunder Digest, where he discovered his passion for writing. From there, he worked for the OU Daily as a women's basketball reporter and was hired by All Sooners. Ross landed an internship with Sports Illustrated's Inside the Thunder and has since become a full-time contributor. One day, Ross hopes to work in the NBA. Work History Education Ross holds a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a minor in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Personal Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Ross played basketball and wrote for his own Thunder blog at Crossings High School in OKC, OK. He enjoys reading, New York Jets football and a week at the beach. Ross is engaged to be married at the end of the year. His Twitter handle is @Rosslovelace.

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