Iowa State heads to Tucson for a second straight road game, and this one comes after a bye week with plenty of attention on how the Cyclones will respond. The trip puts them under the lights against Arizona in Week 8, with Iowa State trying to rebound from its Oct. 7 loss to BYU in Provo, Utah, on a Friday night. That defeat came against what is now the No. 2 team in the country.
Arizona brings a top-25 ranking into the matchup, sitting at No. 25 in the latest AP Poll. It is the fourth ranked opponent Iowa State has seen this season, and the question hanging over this game is whether the Wildcats can hold that spot once the Cyclones get done with them.
The biggest concern for Iowa State remains the pass rush, or really the lack of one. The Cyclones have produced only 9.0 sacks as a team this season, and the pressure has hardly shown up at all.
Isaac Terrell opened with three sacks against Southeast Missouri State in the opener, but he has not added another since. He is still the only Iowa State player with more than one sack.
That matters in a big way against Noah Fifita. Arizona’s quarterback leads the Big 12 with 140 completions and is completing 73.3% of his throws.
With the amount of time opposing quarterbacks have had to work from the pocket against Iowa State, Fifita should have chances to dissect the secondary. In this one, he is projected to complete 75% of his passes, top 250 yards and throw two touchdowns.
For Iowa State, the clearest path is to take control of the tempo and keep Fifita standing on the sideline. That means leaning on the run game, something offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl is expected to emphasize after the bye week.
The Cyclones have not moved the ball consistently against ranked opponents this season, and quarterback Jaylen Raynor has had his struggles. So the plan should be simple: keep handing it to Aiden Flora and stay ahead of the chains.
Flora is expected to carry the load and finish with 150 all-purpose yards. Freshman Caleb Francois should also get more involved after the bye, adding 30 yards on the ground to help extend drives.
Iowa State enters at 3-3, a record that has already put the Cyclones in position to be bowl-eligible by the end of the year, something not many expected. And this is the kind of game that could move them another step in that direction.
The prediction here is an upset, a first statement win for Jimmy Rogers as head coach, and a 24-20 Iowa State victory that knocks Arizona out of the top 25. The Cyclones would make just enough plays defensively to force the Wildcats into leaning too heavily on Fifita.
In Other News...
Arizona Put Iowa State In A Spot No Big 12 Team Wants
Arizona set the tone immediately after the bye, and Iowa State spent the rest of the afternoon trying to climb out of the hole. The Wildcats scored on their first two possessions and carried a 25-3 lead into halftime, a fast start that put the Cyclones on their heels and made the rest of the game feel like an uphill battle from the outset.
The second half brought a change at quarterback for Iowa State, with Connor Moberly taking over for Jaylen Raynor, but the offense never found enough rhythm to threaten a comeback. Now the Cyclones have to turn the page quickly, because Oklahoma State is next on the schedule at home, and there is little margin for another slow start in Big 12 play. [Read more 🡒]
Arizonas Sudden Playoff Push Just Got A Lot More Real
ESPNs updated FPI after Week 8 gave college footballs postseason picture another shakeup, and Arizonas rise has become impossible to ignore. The Wildcats are getting more attention across the sport after breaking into the AP top 25, a sign that their season has moved from pleasant surprise to genuine national relevance as the numbers start to sort contenders from the rest of the pack.
The latest model adjustments show how quickly momentum can change once a team strings together meaningful wins, and Arizona is now part of that conversation in a real way. With the playoff race still fluid and bowl positioning shifting every week, the Wildcats have given themselves a much more interesting path than anyone would have projected a month ago, even if there is still work ahead before the picture fully comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Faces Its Toughest Test Yet In Hostile Lubbock
Arizona heads into Lubbock with plenty on the line after a decisive win over Iowa State, and the Wildcats have earned a seat in the conversation at 6-1. Texas Tech is in the same position record-wise, but the setting changes everything. The Red Raiders have built a strong home winning streak at Galaxy Stadium, and oddsmakers have made them a 4.5-point favorite in a matchup that feels like one of the biggest measuring sticks on Arizonas schedule.
History does not offer much comfort for the Wildcats in this spot, either. Arizona has struggled badly in Lubbock over the years, and the trip has been one of the most difficult on the calendar for this program. Texas Tech is also trying to steady itself after a recent loss to Cincinnati that could matter in the playoff picture, which adds another layer to a game where both teams arrive with momentum, pressure and a lot still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]