Iowa State gets a chance to make a real move this week, and the path is pretty clear: slow Cincinnati down on the ground.
The Cyclones are back at home for the second-to-last time this season, and with a 4-5 record, they’re still chasing the bowl eligibility mark that felt like the target from the start. Their wins have come against Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Bowling Green, and Southeast Missouri State, while losses have piled up against Iowa, Utah, Arizona, BYU, and Baylor. With only two more victories needed to reach a bowl, this one carries real weight.
Cincinnati won’t make it easy. The Bearcats bring in a 5-4 record and a style that is more efficient than flashy.
Scott Satterfield’s offense leans on the run, keeps things simple, and looks to hit open receivers underneath. It may not be pretty, but it has worked enough to get Cincinnati to this point, including a win over Texas Tech.
That run game is the first thing Iowa State has to handle. Cole Tabb has been the headliner, piling up 812 rushing yards and emerging as one of the more underrated backs around.
Gi’Bran Payne has added 556 yards, and quarterback J.C. French IV has chipped in 313 more on the ground.
The Bearcats can move the ball that way, but the Cyclones’ best shot is to make that part of the offense feel cramped and difficult.
If Iowa State can do that, the rest of Cincinnati’s attack becomes much less threatening. French IV has been steady, but not aggressive, and the numbers back that up: he has thrown only three interceptions all season.
He’s the kind of quarterback who tries to stay on schedule and avoid mistakes, but the source of Cincinnati’s road struggles is right there too. The Bearcats are 0-3 away from home and 5-1 at home, a split that says plenty about how much harder this offense can be to trust outside its comfort zone.
That’s why the Cyclones enter the week with a real opening. They’re favored, they’re at home, and if they can bottle up the run and force Cincinnati into a passing game that has to do more than just stay clean, they should put themselves in position to win. And with bowl hopes still hanging there, that’s exactly the kind of game Iowa State needs to finish.
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