Here's what Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell said in his Week 12 press conference

AMES — The Iowa State football team staged a comeback against Texas Tech last Saturday, but it wasn’t enough to pull off a victory.

With two losses in the last three games – against teams previously in the bottom half to the Big 12 standings – the Cyclones face a daunting opponent in No. 12 Oklahoma this weekend in Norman, Okla. The Sooners (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) enter Saturday’s 11 a.m. matchup following a loss to Baylor, while Iowa State lost its latest game by a field goal.

“Certainly, another great challenge, so much respect for this Oklahoma team and program, and (it’ll) be a really great challenge for our football team,” coach Matt Campbell said Tuesday. “Even from last week’s game, a lot of real positives and obviously some areas that weren’t as good as we needed it to be or wanted it to be.”

Bouncing back from last week’s loss

Sure, Campbell and the Iowa State players could dwell on a tough 41-38 loss to Texas Tech. But with just two games left in the regular season, there isn’t time to think about what could’ve been.

“At the end of the day, you either win or you lose, and then you (have) to wake up the next day and you (have) to move forward,” Campbell said. “Every game, every day brings a new situation and challenge that you have to deal with and obviously disappointment is part of the business.”

Campbell said he’s more focused on figuring out why and how the Cyclones lost the game, and what mistakes need to be addressed before Iowa State’s next contest against Oklahoma.

More: What channel is the Iowa State football game on? How to watch and livestream ISU vs. Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s dual quarterback threat

Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley is in a unique position: He has two options at starting quarterback. Both Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams have played in eight games this season, although Rattler replaced Williams in Oklahoma’s most recent matchup against Baylor. Both players have put up impressive stats.

Rattler has the highest completion percentage in the Big 12, connecting on 74.7% of his targets for 1,474 yards and 11 touchdowns. Williams has completed 68.5% of his passes – fourth best in the conference – for 1,331 yards and 14 touchdowns. Iowa State’s defense has a bit of a challenge on its hands.

Regardless of who starts behind center for the Sooners, Campbell’s defensive strategy won’t change much.

“I don’t see, offensively, there being great changes in terms of what they (Oklahoma’s offense) do when either quarterback’s in the game,” Campbell said. “I think we’ve just put our thought process on ourselves, knowing that I don’t think there’s a great schematic difference between either quarterback in the game.”

Will McDonald injury update

McDonald was in and out of Saturday’s game against Texas Tech, and Iowa State fans have seen how much the Cyclones’ defense can be impacted by losing one player – even if it’s only for a brief period. But Campbell wasn’t too concerned about McDonald being out long term, saying that he was dealing with a strain in the hip area early in the game but was able to work through it and get himself back in during the second half.

Campbell had alluded to his team dealing with some injuries that have not been made public, but it looks like McDonald isn’t a huge injury concern heading into the last couple matchups of the season.

Breece Hall’s ability to adjust

Hall is No. 2 in the Big 12 and No. 6 in the nation in rushing yards this season, with 1,164, and he’s tied for fourth in the country with 16 rushing touchdowns. Against Texas Tech, he picked up 51 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

Iowa State’s rushing offense didn’t perform as well against Texas Tech as Campbell would’ve hoped. That’s why it’s important that players like Hall can pivot to the pass game. And Hall did that on Saturday, adding 25 yards and one touchdowns on three receptions.

“When you’re down and you (have) to throw the ball, we’re going to throw it to (Breece),” Campbell said. “I would say some of the plays that he made in the passing game may be some of the greatest plays you’ll ever witness in the history of Iowa State.”

Alyssa Hertel is a college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What Iowa State football's Matt Campbell said ahead of Oklahoma