Phil Steele Predicts 'Down to the Wire' Finish Between WVU and Iowa State

College football expert Phil Steele offers his thoughts on this week's Mountaineer game.

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It's going to be an exciting Big 12 matchup in Morgantown this Saturday as the West Virginia Mountaineers are set to tussle with No. 11 Iowa State under the lights.

As we do each and every Friday on the In the Gun podcast, we called up college football expert Phil Steele to get his thoughts on this week's matchup. Here's a breakdown of our conversation.

WVU's domination of Oklahoma State

“As you know last week, I told you I liked West Virginia and they didn’t disappoint. The thing that amazed me Schuyler is that they ran for 389 yards in that game, but it wasn’t like 75-yard runs that got them there. I mean, the longest run of the game was thirty-some-odd yards. The longest touchdown run was 15 yards. That’s just domination at the line of scrimmage. As you mentioned, everything did go right for them last week and they’re taking on a much tougher opponent in Iowa State. In fact, Iowa State might just be the best team in the Big 12 this year.

Phil's thoughts on Iowa State

"When I went over the team with Coach (Matt) Campbell this preseason, we went over every position and at the end I always ask how do you feel about the quarterbacks? How do you feel about the running backs? And it seemed like he wrapped up every position with, ‘This is the best we’ve been at this position or this is the most experienced we’ve been at this position. Or this is the deepest we’ve been at the position since I’ve been here.’ And when I got off the phone with him I thought, well, this is the best team he’s had since he’s been at Iowa State.

"They’re 5-0 and they’re handling the favorites role well. I love the way they went into Iowa and came out with the win. They did need a late comeback to get that one, but this is an Iowa State team that’s extremely difficult.

WVU/Iowa State prediction (sort of)

"I’m not going against Iowa State, but I’m not going against West Virginia either, especially at home. I think this is going to be a toss-up game, come down to the wire, decided by a field goal one way or the other.”

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