Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Iowa State Cyclones: Five players to watch

Another quarterback controversy lingers in a Big 12 contest, but it doesn’t involve the team many thought it would be. Sam Richardson is the starter for the Iowa State Cyclones, but the Oklahoma State Cowboys will keep silent on whether their going to start J.W. Walsh or Clint Chelf. The latter came into the game against TCU last week and led the team to a 24-10 victory.

We’ll deal with that situation later on. Instead, let’s focus on the players that we know will be on the field this Saturday.

Sep 14, 2013; Stillwater, OK, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Jeremy Smith (31) run in for the touchdown during the first half against the Lamar Cardinals at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Rowe-USA TODAY Sports

Jeremy Smith (OSU running back, #31, Sr.)

Smith has taken over as the lead running back for the Cowboys, but the running game is nowhere near where it’s been recently. They currently rank 96th in the nation, and Smith may have seven touchdowns but has lost three fumbles. This is a good chance for the Cyclones to take advantage of a team that doesn’t have a dominant running attack.

Jansen Watson (ISU cornerback, #2, Sr.)

Watson will get the start over Sam E. Richardson at the left cornerback position, and this will be his third start of the season. In those games, the defensive back averages 4.67 tackles in each one; two of the tackles were for a loss. He’s also broken up five passes and forced one fumble.

Josh Stewart (OSU wide receiver, #5, Jr.)

There are three wide receivers that Iowa State will need to prepare for. Stewart will be the biggest threat with a team-high 31 catches for 473 yards and two touchdowns.

Aaron Wimberly (ISU running back, #2, Jr.)

The other number two on the Cyclones will need to step it up after getting banged up against Texas Tech and picking up just 21 yards on five carries against Baylor. He’s listed as the starter despite probable lingering injuries, and no injury reports even have him as a question. His production will be vital for ISU to get back on track.

Justin Gilbert (OSU cornerback, #4, Sr.)

Oklahoma State has picked the ball off a lot, so Sam Richardson (or perhaps Grant Rohach later on) will have to be extremely careful and more efficient when throwing the ball. Someone they’ll have to keep an eye on is Gilbert, who has a team-high three interceptions. He’s due for more banking on this trend: In his freshman and junior seasons, he’s had zero picks, but in his sophomore year he had five total.