3-2-1 KICKOFF

3 Players to Watch

Trey Sermon: Sermon is now Oklahoma’s lead running back after the Sooners lost Rodney Anderson to a season-ending knee injury. The sophomore from Marietta, Ga., made three starts last season.

Kyler Murray: The junior quarterback has met if not exceeded expectations through the first two weeks, but it’s worth watching how Murray handles his first road start. Neville Gallimore: The 6-foot-2, 330-pound nose guard is the anchor in the middle of Oklahoma’s 3-4 defensive front. Gallimore and company will be tasked with slowing Iowa State’s ground game led by star running back David Montgomery.

2 Big Questions What will Oklahoma’s running back rotation look like? It’s unclear how the carries between Sermon, Marcelias Sutton, T.J. Pledger and Kennedy Brooks will be divided now that Anderson is sidelined. Expect a running back by committee approach until things get sorted out. How will OU’s offense fare against a legitimate

defense? Florida Atlantic was helpless, UCLA offered more opposition, but Iowa State boasts a better defense than what Oklahoma faced in its first two games. Iowa State held Iowa to just 13 points last Saturday and the Cyclones had the third-best defense in the Big 12 last season in yards allowed per game.

1 Wild Prediction The Sooners will score a special teams touchdown. It happened in Week 1 and nearly happened twice on kickoff and punt returns in Week 2. Don’t be surprised if CeeDee Lamb breaks free on a punt return against the Cyclones.