Williams Blog: A look at the 2013 football schedule

AMES — Iowa State released its 2013 football schedule on Tuesday. To read the press release, CLICK HERE and visit Cyclones.com. 

Here’s a look at the dates, followed by a few quick takes. 

Aug. 31 NORTHERN IOWA
Sept. 14 IOWA
Sept. 21 at Tulsa
Oct. 3/5 TEXAS
Oct. 12 at Texas Tech
Oct. 19 at Baylor
Oct. 26 OKLAHOMA STATE (FW)
Nov. 2 at Kansas State
Nov. 9 TCU (H)
Nov. 16 at Oklahoma
Nov. 23 KANSAS
Nov. 29/30 at West Virginia

*** First of all, I love the fact that there is an option of playing the West Virginia game on the day after Thanksgiving again. I am a HUGE fan of Iowa State playing on Black Friday. Like this year for instance, at 2:30 come Friday afternoon, the Cyclones and the Mountaineers will be the show. You’re a football fan? Your eyes will be on Jack Trice Stadium at some point in the afternoon. Iowa State needs to fight to make this a tradition. Let’s hope for a good showing on national television this Friday. That will likely go a long way. 

*** I hate how the bye weeks are spaced out on the 2013 slate. A week two bye can be framed as a great opportunity to coach but in my book, the guys play all through camp just itching to kick off. Then you kick off and all of that momentum is lost with a bye. Not only is the week two bye a pain, then Iowa State will get its second and final week off two weeks later after a trip to Tulsa. 

*** I find it interesting that an option is available for Iowa State to host Texas on Thursday, Oct. 3. That’d be sick. I assume an ESPN game right? Possibly Fox Sports Net? 

*** Both Big 12 road games in October are winnable. Texas Tech is currently tanking at the end of 2012. We have no clue what to expect out of that program next season. Baylor is Baylor is Baylor is Baylor. Flip a coin there. Texas at home will obviously be tough. As will Oklahoma State. But this is the Big 12 folks. Map those games out however you’d like. The schedule is always going to be brutal. 

*** Tulsa loses quite a bit between now and then. Iowa State should be favored to win its first three games of the season. 

That’s all for now.