Oct 19, 2024; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Jontez Williams (3) celebrates after his interception to seal the game against the UCF Knights at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones beat the Knights 38 to 35. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
A 38-35 win over UCF … the Cyclones stayed undefeated, and in the top 10. As Matt Campbell said in his postgame speech to the team, “The black jerseys believe.”
Let’s muse.
Iowa State has to be better, and this team knows that
The Cyclones allowed UCF to rush for 9.1 yards per carry. Quarterback Rocco Becht threw two picks. Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel each had critical drops.
The slow motion replay of players walking alongside and not jumping on the ball that was dropped before the end zone line on the UCF interception was the epitome of that game.
Those guys shouldn’t take heat for that, and likely had gotten more had the result been different, but they know they can’t afford mistakes like that in other games.
It was the wakeup call – and managing to win the wakeup call is what top 10 teams do.
“Winning in the margins”
A phrase that’s been screamed from the mountain top by this program over the years – and one that would have been echoed by frustrated fans – again – had the result been different.
But Chris Andringa tweeted a really peculiar set of stats I wanted to include here.
“Winning in the Margins”
Fewest Penalties/Gm: 3.29 (2nd in FBS)
Fewest Pen Yds/Gm: 25.14 (1st)
TO Margin/Gm: +1.29 (T-8th)
Fumbles Lost: 0 (T-1st; 1 of 4)
Interceptions Gained: 12 (T-6th)— Chris Andringa (@cjandringa) October 20, 2024
I’m old enough to remember when David Montgomery not fumbling for a whole season was one of the stories of the year – that still wasn’t a damn fumble in the ’17 Liberty Bowl, by the way.
To be in the top half of the country in all of those is winning in the margins. Being in the top 10 in each stat is a characteristic of a great team – and they’ve got one in Ames.
Clock management
I think we’ve seen Iowa State on both sides – good and bad – of the clock management game plenty of times in the Campbell era.
There are philosophical differences here and there on what that really means to coaches and fans alike, sure, but Saturday might have been this group’s best.
It sure as hell is in recent memory, even if mine is a bit dinged up this week.
Iowa State’s defense stopped R.J. Harvey in the backfield on 1st and 10 with 4:29 to play.
Campbell held his timeouts, and Jacurri Brown took off for a 20-yard rush on the ensuing play.
UCF ran the clock, and took a delay of game that left 2:59 remaining.
Harvey went for 12 yards and took the clock down to 2:14 on the next play – and Campbell had the restraint to hold his timeouts, again.
UCF picked up the first down – and really, Campbell used the two-minute timeout as a fourth timeout. He played it perfectly, and it timed out perfectly, to give No. 3 over 100 seconds to play with.
He only needed 78. That was winning in the margins.
Are we talking about Jontez Williams enough?
I mean, for real.
The jump he has made from his freshman to sophomore seasons is the one coaches dream of.
Williams had just three pass breakups all season a year ago, and now you look up and see four consecutive games with interceptions to kick off Big 12 play for Iowa State.
Jontez Williams has had an interception in four straight games, making him the fifth player in program history to do so. The one he had tonight helped seal the win over UCF. pic.twitter.com/AG3CIudf2C
— Reina Garcia (@ReinaGarciaTV) October 20, 2024
I don’t take a bunch of stock in Pro Football Focus grades, but he had the best grade overall of anyone on the field defensively in 41 snaps at an 85.9. His coverage grade was an “elite” 90.1.
The Florida native has the longest active streak in the country and is making ball-hawking plays routinely.
“Honestly, it was awesome, but I’ve seen him make that play so routinely, that it doesn’t really make me go crazy,” defensive lineman and captain J.R. Singleton said. “I know that’s a crazy play to make, but I think you guys have got to understand how great he is, and how good his technique is.”
I grew up being told that you have to have a relentless will to win when you run the No. 3.
Granted, that was car racing, but both of the guys wearing it on this team have no shortage there.
Mr. Brightside
OK, real quick, it seems that there is a big debate on the socials about this song and Matt Van Winkle is the only guy on the planet vehemently distraught that this song is a thing.
I remember hearing it at parties – right around that time David Montgomery was protecting the football – for the first time.
My friends were shocked I hadn’t heard it and I couldn’t exactly pinpoint if I had known it was a thing at the time.
Then you hear about it being a song about getting over an ex that’s in love with someone else, and it makes even less sense.
But damn, it does get the kids going.
And that’s probably the point here – as the black uniforms do the players. Don’t get wrapped up in what it is, just let the fun stuff happen.
In the Big 12
There are six teams in the Big 12 that either 3-1 in conference play or better, but I will be leading with Arizona State.
The Sun Devils were trying to complete a comeback against Cincinnati in the fourth quarter of a 24-14 loss.
Both of their final two drives ended in missed field goals, and coach Kenny Dillingham, who’s become must-watch TV, has called for open tryouts at the kicking position for anyone on ASU’s campus during the team’s bye week.
Kenny Dillingham said that ASU will be hosting kicking tryouts on Monday:
“Our kicking game is atrocious. If you can kick and you’re at Arizona State, email me. We’re going to have kicking tryouts on Monday … I’m dead serious.”@DevilsDigest pic.twitter.com/tUsrZDP4Wi
— Justin LaCertosa (@LaCertosaSports) October 19, 2024
Students in Tempe have been out on the practice fields, and although there was a half-baked apology from someone on Dillingham’s account, the tryouts are happening.
As expected😭 pic.twitter.com/mXylYjkbmu
— Barstool ASU (@tempebarstool) October 20, 2024
I would like to apologize in my post game press conference I talked about our kicking game like I do offense / defense. However the kicking game is always directed at one player. I should not have done that and I apologize. This team’s losses will always 100% fall on myself.…
— Coach Dillingham (@KennyDillingham) October 19, 2024
Stumbled upon this kid – who appears to have just worked on kicking and punting as a hobby over the years – and I’m declaring him as leader in the clubhouse.
I would love to tryout for the @ASUFootball team. I am a kicker, punter, place holder and have been trying to walk onto the team for three years now and I love kicking and putting in the work. @KennyDillingham if you give me a tryout I promise I won’t disappoint @RisingSunDevils… pic.twitter.com/cl0j4qVfbN
— Nolan Krinsky (@NolanKrinsky) October 19, 2024
A bonus – here’s your weekly Cam Skattebo highlight. I’m not sure what I will do for this column next week without him on the field.
Cam Skattebo is rated E for everyone!
This is an absurd touchdown run.
pic.twitter.com/C8XEEDTcUI— Anthony Totri (@Anthony_Totri) October 19, 2024
OK, so Cincinnati looks like its putting some of its pieces together. The Bearcats are 5-2 and face a fellow 3-1 Big 12 team in the nightcap on Saturday with Colorado (9:15 p.m. ESPN).
Former Iowa State linebackers coach and current Cincy defensive coordinator Tyson Veidt is getting the job done. That game Saturday will be the real litmus test.
Colorado has gotten every break it could in the Big 12 schedule so far.
UCF was at its worst when they faced the Buffaloes and y’all remember the pair of hail mary’s they needed to beat Baylor.
This week, CU got to beat up on a spiraling Arizona team, who’s head coach wasn’t even in the stadium 45 minutes before kickoff.
Brent Brennan was meeting with boosters outside the stadium 45 minutes before kickoff. While I appreciate the effort, there seems to be a major disconnect in yet another aspect of the program/administration. 45 minutes before kickoff and outside the stadium is insane.
— Jason Scheer (@jasonscheer) October 20, 2024
We’ll get to preface the game of the week in Cincy-CU with a loser-leaves-town in Arizona vs. West Virginia in Tucson (5 p.m. FS1).
Oklahoma State took BYU to the wire in similar fashion to what UCF did in Ames.
The Cougars as chaotic as it gets and really fun to watch. It felt like every pass was going to be intercepted watching this game, but there are playmakers and a kickass atmosphere thriving down there in Provo.
Cougars wideout Darius Lassiter made moves and trotted into the end zone with seconds on the clock to give BYU a 7-0 record.
The Cougars don’t play any of the five other teams in the league with 3-1 starts or better, but with the way it’s going, that chaos could go either way in this league.
I do think Jacurri Brown is the real deal after seeing him in Ames this week – BYU and UCF could play a fun one (2:30 p.m. ESPN) at the bounce house this week.
Somehow, Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State are 0-4 in Big 12 play, and they didn’t look out character making this game as close as it was.
Garret Rangel got the start at quarterback for Oklahoma State, and played a really good first half before having to be taken out with a collarbone injury.
Ollie Gordon made his moves and Alan Bowman was solid during his time on the field, but that defense has a lot of holes. The Cowboys get Baylor – which is coming off a big win – in Waco this week (2:30 p.m. ESPN+).
Speaking of Baylor, who saw this one coming?
The Bears knock off a previously undefeated Texas Tech on the road, putting up 59 points on the Red Raiders in what felt like a Kliff Kingsbury coached Red Raider defense.
Despite the loss, it’s still Joey McGuire’s best start in Lubbock with five wins in the opening seven games.
Tech’s schedule played out nicely and I called for them to have six wins at a minimum when they came to Ames and they’ll go for that mark against TCU this week (2:30 p.m. FOX).
K-State takes rolls in Morgantown
Man, do the hits just keep coming for West Virginia. Quarterback Garrett Greene left the game at halftime after taking a big hit while trying to tie the game late in the second quarter.
Avery Johnson looks to be coming into his own, too, right before K-State tries for a 16th win in a row against KU.
And Utah?
So much for ‘running the Big 12,’ eh.