Oct 12, 2024; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht (3) throws a pass against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the second quarter at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images
Wake up and tell your kids about the top 10 Cyclones.
For the sixth time in program history, Iowa State appears in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll.
Iowa State’s AP Poll Top 10 appearances
2021, week 2: No. 9
2021, week 1: No. 7
2020, week 15: No. 8
2020, final: No. 9
2002, week 9: No. 9
That’s the entire list, and from the best I can tell, Iowa State wasn’t a 12-point favorite in the game it played after these appearances. Not to mention, the pair of basketball programs and wrestling team that could join football in the coming weeks.
We’re in special times right now. Let’s talk about the weekend.
Jon Heacock’s defense continues to flummox opposing offenses
And it’s doing so in unorthodox ways.
Former Cyclone running back Jeff Woody – who’s become a terrific analyst over the years – put up a video showing three defensive linemen all rushing to the same side of the offensive line to force West Virginia’s Garrett Greene to the left side of the field.
Iowa State has outscored their opponents 103-26 in second halves this year because defensive coordinator Jon Heacock is insane. pic.twitter.com/qdRY5snlIM
— Jeff Woody (@jwoody32) October 13, 2024
It’s a tremendous look into the things this unit is doing, and it may not be a direct result from the depth it has needed to use at the linebacker spot, but it’s helping alleviate the amount of injuries the Cyclones have had there.
As for some normalcy we’ve seen with Heacock defenses over the years, Iowa State is getting better as games go on.
The Cyclones are outscoring opponents 103-26 in the second half of games this season, essentially pitching shutouts in four of six games if your excluding garbage time.
Iowa State’s deepest offensive line of the Campbell era kept it going
Starting left guard Dylan Barrett went down with an injury in the game, and that would spell trouble in previous years in the Campbell era. Second-year player Trevor Buhr came in to substitute and didn’t miss a beat.
Running back Carson Hansen reached the end zone three times, and although it wasn’t a 200+ rushing yard game, the offensive line kept things serviceable.
There’s still a lot of season left, but offensive line coach Ryan Clanton’s group is holding it down.
We’ll know more on the severity Barrett’s injury – and others’ – on Tuesday.
Rocco Becht had his best game of the year
The Cyclones’ redshirt sophomore had gotten off to some uncharacteristic starts to games earlier in the season and looks to be hitting his stride at the right time.
Becht ended the game at 18-26 with 265 yards and a touchdown, which went 60 yards and looked easy for wide receiver Jaylin Noel.
The quarterback went into Morgantown and took what was his while his dad was inducted into the opposing team’s – which didn’t offer him – hall of fame. It doesn’t get much better than that.
🔒🔒🔒 pic.twitter.com/6Lh3SIjrjX
— Rocco Becht (@RoccoBecht) October 13, 2024
Around the Big 12
Kansas State avoided a collapse and snuck out of Boulder with a win.
The Wildcats had a 10-point lead and the ball on Colorado after picking off Shedeur Sanders in the fourth quarter, but still surrendered the lead late to the Buffaloes.
Thanks to a two-touchdown, 121-yard game from sophomore wideout Jayce Brown, K-State avoided the disaster the below selfie may have created had they lost.
An obliging Avery Johnson takes a selfie with a Colorado fan 😂 #EMAW pic.twitter.com/dt3TicnuFN
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) October 13, 2024
BYU has come out as a real contender for the Big 12 championship, and it almost still feels surprising. The Cougars’ 5-7 mark a season ago didn’t help and I think many around here have vivid memories of Iowa State’s 45-13 win in Provo a year ago. However, with an undefeated conference mark and what is proving to be an impressive win over SMU at the halfway mark, this team has everyone’s attention.
PARKER KINGSTON DOES IT ALL!!!#CollegeFootballpic.twitter.com/MccYzMIbmv
— Pick 6 Pack (@Pick6PackFB) October 12, 2024
The BYU defense is relentless in pressure and forced Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita into three interceptions as it took care of business and gave its offense room to operate. Sophomore wideout Parker Kingston had only one catch in the game, but accounted for two touchdowns in the victory, throwing for another score on a trick play that worked to perfection. The Cougars are doing everything right, and will be favored against Oklahoma State and UCF before the Holy War. They’ve got a bye week going into that one, too.
As for Arizona, the ‘Cats fall to 3-3 in their second-straight disappointing performance since they knocked off Utah. They are my Jekyll-and-Hyde Big 12 team of the year right now, just above the fan base that claimed it would run the conference in its first year.
Let’s talk about Utah, why not?
The Utes played their Halloween game three weeks early on Friday night in a 27-19 loss to Arizona State.
Whoever they put out there at quarterback was dressed in costume as veteran quarterback Cam Rising, but it wasn’t the same player that solidified the team as a top 25 group or Big 12 contender.
Sixteen for 37 with 209 yards and three interceptions – I could guess 100 quarterbacks in college football trying to blindly guess who had that line without sniffing Rising.
It’s evident that the injury that kept him out of Utah’s last three games is even more serious than previously thought. Utah gets TCU and Houston in back-to-back weeks before its second bye, so at the very least, its got a bit more time here, but the clock is ticking.
I buried the lead in this game, and I need to apologize for that.
Last week, I compared Cam Skattebo to Dale Earnhardt capturing crowds in the 1990’s, but maybe that was the wrong comparison.
Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo with one of the best runs of the season. Just ridiculous contact balance pic.twitter.com/DuW3Z4GH7E
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) October 12, 2024
This guy is putting Arizona State – a team that was picked to finish last in the league with a combined six wins over its past two seasons – he’s the story in every game, no matter the week.
It’s Donny Schatz in the early 2010’s – he won again on Saturday, by the way.
If you haven’t sat time aside to watch Skattebo, who finished with 156 yards and two scores against Utah, yet this year, get on it. They’ve got Cincinnati in the 11 a.m. timeslot Saturday.
And watch this video of Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham after his first win over a top 25 team as a head coach. It’s college football at its best.
Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham pulled off the upset then disappeared into the night in a mob of students
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 12, 2024
I called the UCF – Cincy game this week a ‘loser leaves town,’ game, but the Bearcats are flirting with a bowl game at 4-2 despite a tough schedule ahead.
The Knights meanwhile benched Arkansas transfer KJ Jefferson in favor of Miami transfer and former four-star quarterback Jaccuri Brown. Brown started for the team in its Gasparilla Bowl loss to Georgia Tech, but hadn’t seen the field at all since the opening two weeks in garbage time.
The encouraging aspect here is that Brown, who was 13-20 for 207 yards passing with 16 rushing attempts for 84 yards.
If the Iowa State defense was going to get a new quarterback thrown at it, a dual threat player at the position for the fifth-straight game and a game of film on him is the best it could ask for.
The Cyclones just need to take care of business on Saturday night and make it to the bye week.
