The path for Iowa State to spring the upset on No. 15 Utah is pretty clear: make the Utes one-dimensional.
That’s the big assignment this Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium, where the Cyclones will try to hand Utah its first loss after the Utes opened 3-0 with three straight dominant wins. Iowa State comes in at 2-1 after taking care of Southeast Missouri State and Bowling Green before dropping a tight road game to Iowa. It’s been a better start than many expected, and now the Cyclones get a chance to turn that into something bigger.
But Utah’s offense is built to make life miserable on the ground. Devon Dampier has been a major part of that, throwing for 690 yards and seven touchdowns while also adding 114 rushing yards and two scores.
He’s not even the team’s leading quarterback rusher - Byrd Ficklin has chipped in 117 yards and a touchdown of his own. That two-quarterback threat gives Utah a different kind of stress point to work with.
Then there’s Wayshawn Parker, who has been a problem all season long. He’s already up to 154 yards and three touchdowns, and he’s shown why he belongs among the top running backs in the Big 12 Conference.
For Iowa State, this all comes back to the defensive front. Isaac Terrell, Caden Crawford, Malaki Ta’ase, Zaimir Hawk, and the rest of that group will have to do the heavy lifting against Utah’s rushing attack. That task gets tougher because several defensive linemen are listed on the injury report, which could leave the Cyclones without their full first unit.
The linebackers will matter just as much. Sullivan Schlimgen, Carson Willich, Willie Breland III, and others need to be active, disruptive, and ready to close off running lanes before Utah can get rolling.
The weather could also tilt things toward the Utes. Expected rain may push Utah even more toward the run, which makes Iowa State’s job even more straightforward: survive the ground game, and the door opens.
That’s the formula for the Cyclones. Utah wants to run it.
Iowa State has to stop it. If the Cyclones can do that, they’ll give themselves a real shot to steal a win and open conference play with a statement at Jack Trice Stadium.
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Iowa State Faces Its Biggest Early Big 12 Test Yet
A tricky early Big 12 measuring stick is waiting for Iowa State this week, with No. 15 Utah coming to Ames after a strong start to the season. The matchup has the feel of one of those September games that can tell you plenty about where a team stands, especially with weather expected to be a factor at Iowa States home stadium.
Utahs physical start gives the Cyclones a different kind of challenge than the ones they have seen so far, and it has prompted plenty of staff debate about how the game could unfold. The predictions vary, but the common thread is clear enough: Iowa State is stepping into a game where the margin for error will be thin, and the conditions may make every snap matter even more. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State's Rebuilt Line Faces An Early Test Fans Should Watch
Braden Smiths move to center gives Iowa State one of the more interesting subplots heading into the Big 12 opener, and it says plenty about how much this front is still being shaped. Smith has spent parts of his college career on the defensive line and at tight end, and now he is being asked to anchor the offensive line in a new role as the Cyclones prepare for the kind of early conference test that can reveal a lot about a rebuilt group.
Utah is a fitting first measuring stick. Jimmy Rogers has already pointed to the strength of the Utes defense, which should put immediate pressure on Smith and the rest of Iowa States line to communicate, adjust and hold up against a disciplined opponent. For the Cyclones, it is also part of a bigger picture: a diverse roster coming together under Rogers, with the opener offering an early glimpse at how far that process has come. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Faces Its First Real Big 12 Test In Utah Defense
Saturdays Big 12 opener at Jack Trice Stadium gives Iowa State an immediate measuring stick, and it comes against a Utah team that has looked every bit the part of a top-15 contender. The Utes arrive undefeated with a defense that has carried plenty of the load so far, which means the Cyclones are walking into conference play with no warmup and very little margin for error.
Much of the attention will fall on four Utah defenders who have helped set that tone: Nate Ritchie, Jonathan Hall, Lance Holtzclaw and Elijah Davis. Each brings a different piece to the picture, from pressure up front to cleanup work in the secondary, and how Iowa State handles that group will say a lot about whether the Cyclones can make a clean first impression in league play. [Read more 🡒]