Right now, ISU only has 1 game (home vs Texas) against the current top 3 teams in the league.
WVU has 5! KSU has 3. OSU has 3. OU still has 2 left @KU/vs UT. By that admission ISU has IMO a great shot at finishing 4th, and a decent shot at getting 3rd.
There are some tough road games out there, but the Clones have a shot to rack up a lot of wins from here on out. If they can win at WVU, they have a decent shot to go on a 5 game win streak, or a 5 out 6 stretch. That will thrust them back up near the top.
It's not always about who you still have left to play, but also who you don't have left on the schedule either.
I was looking over most of the teams remaining schedules yesterday, and WVU has 3 wins already vs Tech and TCU, and another against Baylor.
K-State only has 2 games left with Tech/TCU. Clones still have 3 left with TCU/Tech.
Both KSU/WVU play Kansas in the next 7-10 days as well, and those will likely be assured loses.
OSU looks to be a bad road team right now. 5 road games left, but 2 of them are @Tech/@TCU. The game on Monday is looming large...especially if ISU can steal on the road. That would be a MAJOR launching point for ISU to climb the ladder.