Iowa State will face off against 15th-ranked Utah Utes, at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT, FOX). The Cyclones are set to face a challenge in this Big 12 matchup, as they are viewed as two-score underdogs by the oddsmakers. Will this be a tough week for the Cyclone, or can they pull off a major upset in their first conference game of the season?

Here are our our final betting prediction for this Big 12 match-up: 

*All betting lines courtesy of DraftKings. Call 1-800-BETS OFF if you live in Iowa (1-800-MY-RESET is the national line) and are struggling with gambling.  

A two-score game seems too high. This Iowa State team has shown to have a strong defense and an offense that can chew clock with their running game, which I believe makes this a great matchup for Iowa State as they face Utah. This should be a close one-score game, and I expect that the Cyclone defense will be the reason why.

Defense will be a big facture in this game as both Iowa State and Utah have some of the strongest defensive units in college football. In the first three games, Iowa State has allowed just 11.0 points per game (top 15 nationally) and 226.3 total yards per game (10th nationally). Utah has allowed 8.0 points per game (4th nationally) and 239.3 total yards per game (top 10 nationally) in the same span.

Both of these teams are also coming into this week with strong running attacks. Iowa State is averaging 203.7 yards per game (5.5 yards per carry) and has a streak of 20 consecutive games in which they have gained 100 or more rushing yards. Utah, on the other hand, averages 232.7 yards per game (5.8 yards per carry), which makes me think that this game will be a old-fashioned grind it out football game.

Iowa State +600 to make a field goal on their opening drive: After their performance last week against Bowling Green, I believe this offense and special teams are positioned to score early in this game. Throughout the season, special teams have consistently provided the offense with favorable field position. I expect the rushing attack to be utilized early and frequently. However, the Utah defense is strong, and I believe they could limit Iowa State to a field goal.