Cyclones rise to No. 6 in CFP rankings; top-10 matchup on deck in Arlington

Dec 5, 2020; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy (15) rushes in for a touchdown as Iowa State running back Breece Hall (28) celebrates behind him during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday. Iowa State takes a 21-0 lead over West Virginia into halftime. Mandatory Credit: Brian Powers-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday morning’s Big 12 title game in Arlington, Texas, is locked in as a matchup between two top-10 teams.

Iowa State rose one spot to No. 6 in this week’s College Football Playoff ranking while Oklahoma jumped to No. 10. The No. 6 ranking is the Cyclones’ highest in program history in any poll.

The Cyclones benefitted greatly from Florida’s loss to LSU this past Saturday night in jumping the Gators, who will play No. 1 Alabama in the SEC title game this weekend.

While highly unlikely, there is a path for Iowa State to become the first two-loss team to qualify for the College Football Playoff. No. 5 Texas A&M is scheduled to play Tennessee this weekend while No. 3 Ohio State plays Northwestern for the Big Ten title and No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 4 Clemson square off for the ACC championship.

The Cyclones and Sooners will kickoff at 11 a.m. in game televised on ABC.

Jared Stansbury

View articles by Jared Stansbury subscriber

Jared a native of Clarinda, Iowa, started as the Cyclone Fanatic intern in August 2013, primarily working as a videographer until starting on the women’s basketball beat prior to the 2014-15 season. Upon earning his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State in May 2016, Jared was hired as the site’s full-time staff writer, taking over as the primary day-to-day reporter on football and men’s basketball. He was elevated to the position of managing editor in January 2020. He is a regular contributor on 1460 KXNO in Des Moines and makes regular guest appearances on radio stations across the Midwest. Jared resides in Ankeny with his four-year-old puggle, Lolo.

Follow @@JaredStansbury