As Iowa State and Oklahoma State tease their respective fanbases with the uniform matchup for Saturday's Halloween showdown at Jack Trice Stadium (6 p.m., FS1), we've got you covered with the preview of this matchup

Here are three Cyclone position groups you should keep an eye on this weekend. 

Normally it would be fitting to use an offensive position group to begin this article, but you have to start with the secondary here. Why? Because this group could get torched by one of the nation's most explosive passing attacks. That's not meant to be disrespectful, Oklahoma State is just that good. The Cowboys sit atop the Big 12 in total offense (529.1 yards per game), scoring offense (40 points per game), and passing offense (341 yards per game). At the forefront of this potent offense is quarterback Drew Mestemaker. Mestemaker is one of the best stories in college football right now, as he barely played in high school but one opportunity from then-North Texas head coach Eric Morris was enough for him to break out as one of the country's top passers. 

Mestemaker's numbers (2,326 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, six interceptions) have led some NFL analysts to predict him as a potential top quarterback pick should he enter the 2027 NFL Draft. But that's all in the future right now. All Mestemaker is worried about is winning games for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and as long as Morris is his head coach, the duo are going to be a lethal pairing. 

But how can Iowa State slow down this Oklahoma State offense? You honestly really can't, but this secondary has to limit the big plays and keep Cowboy receivers in front of them. We'll see what kind of game plan head coach Jimmy Rogers and defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit can craft up. 

Getting to the quarterback has been a major problem for Iowa State all year, and that's something Oklahoma State can easily exploit on Saturday. The Cyclones have tallied just 10 sacks this year, with most of those coming in the non-conference. It seems like this defensive line just doesn't have the talent this year, but if Iowa State wants to hang around, it has to make Mestemaker uncomfortable in the pocket. 

We've talked a lot about defending the pass, but the Cowboys can run, too. Fellow North Texas transfer Caleb Hawkins has been a valuable back for Oklahoma State this year (712 yards, two touchdowns), so Iowa State will have to key in on Hawkins as well. 

If there's an offensive position group to watch for the Cyclones here, it has to be the running backs. And it might as well be called running back for that matter because Aiden Flora is going to have to make some incredible plays on the ground for Iowa State to have a shot. Oklahoma State boasts just the 11th-best total defense in the conference, so there could be opportunities for the Cyclones to establish the running game.