Texas Football: 3 problematic Cyclones for the Longhorns

Who will Texas football head coach Tom Herman and his staff be the most prepared for when they take on Iowa State on Black Friday?

A team as deep as the No. 13 ranked (per the initial College Football Playoff Rankings release this week) Iowa State Cylcones is going to have a lot of problematic players to deal with. And the Texas football program and fourth-year head coach Tom Herman will have to find answers for all of those problematic players on both sides of the ball.

Preparing for a team like Iowa State shouldn’t come with any less certainty or seriousness than someone like the Oklahoma Sooners or Oklahoma State Cowboys. Texas has remained competitive, if not won, each of their seven games so far this season. The problem for the No. 13 ranked Longhorns is actually putting opponents away in Big 12 play, not necessarily keeping games competitive.

Texas comes into the Iowa State game with a record of 5-2 (4-2 Big 12), with their last game resulting in a narrow win over the West Virginia Mountaineers at home back on Nov. 7, by the final score of 17-13. They currently sit on a three-game winning streak, dating back to an Oct. 24 triumph at home over the Baylor Bears.

Meanwhile, Iowa State comes into this game with a record of 6-2 (6-1 Big 12). Their lone loss in Big 12 play to date came against Oklahoma State. And their other loss was in a poor showing back in their season opener against the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns.

Texas and Iowa State are set to kick off at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on the morning of Black Friday (Nov. 27 at 11 a.m. CT). The Longhorns will have to be up for this one, as they are 1-2 so far this season in games in the 11 a.m. slot.

Here’s a look at three Cyclones players that could be problematic for the Longhorns on Black Friday.