Iowa State doesn't have much at stake in its regular-season finale this Saturday.
The Big 12 schedule is over. The Cyclones, with a 7-4 record and rated No. 23 in the CFP rankings, have already secured bowl eligibility. And the game against Drake was a late addition to the schedule, made possible by a weather-related cancellation in the season opener and a desire to play a 12th game.
So while the coaching staff and players are saying all the right things about not taking the Bulldogs lightly, a possible outcome is that this game becomes a way to get some younger players more snaps while giving the upperclassmen a triumphant sendoff in front of the hometown crowd.