Iowa State’s season finale has been up in the air since the first week of September.

The Cyclones were supposed to play Incarnate Word, until the Cardinals had their best season in school history and made their first-ever FCS playoff trip.

Now, with a game finally set up for Saturday, the Cyclones (7-4, 6-3 Big 12) will take on in-state foe Drake (7-3) for an eighth regular season win, which Iowa State hasn’t accomplished since 2000. The game will kick off at 11 a.m.

“We wanted to get that game back really bad,” said redshirt sophomore safety Lawrence White. “There was a lot of emotions that first game and everybody was excited, so it was kind of disappointing, so we’re happy to get this opportunity.”

Iowa State is favored by 42.5 points, according to VegasInsider. That is by far the biggest spread in an Iowa State game this year. For comparison, the Cyclones were favored last week by 10 points against Kansas State, which entered the game with a 5-6 record.

Iowa State will likely utilize the new four-game redshirt rule, which allows players to play in up to four games without counting it against their eligibility.

“We’re still a team that can continue to grow and get better,” said coach Matt Campbell. “We have to use every opportunity to continue to do that.

“I think this rule that came into place is a phenomenal rule. That rule has really — for a school like us, for a team like us — that development is key to your success … it’s helped us in some critical spots.”

Some of the main candidates to get extra playing time this week are freshman quarterback Re-al Mitchell, freshman offensive lineman Trevor Downing and freshman defensive end Zach Petersen.

Mitchell hasn’t played yet, but Downing and Petersen have played in spots this season. Downing played one offensive snap against Kansas State, which resulted in a touchdown.

“He thinks it’s his block,” Campbell said jokingly. “It’s not, he really missed the block, but whatever.”

Plays like that — along with getting 15 extra practices for the upcoming bowl game — are things Campbell has pointed out that have helped with development.

And for seniors like quarterback Kyle Kempt and running back Mike Warren, getting one more game at Jack Trice Stadium is something they cherish.

“After the South Dakota State game, being out there and then having the game canceled … the fact that we get to play again in Jack Trice Stadium excites a lot of us,” Kempt said.

Kempt also pointed toward the redshirt rule. In his sixth year, Kempt has taken a leadership role as a team captain and recently, a mentor to freshman quarterback Brock Purdy, who stepped up over the second half of the season after an injury to Kempt.

“That redshirt rule really plays into that,” Kempt said. “As a young guy, to be able to get out in that stadium and have that confidence going into the offseason, I think it’s huge.”

Record watch

Iowa State has a number of records that could be broken, either against Drake or in the bowl game.

Redshirt junior receiver Hakeem Butler needs 14 yards and one touchdown to tie the season records in those respective categories. Lane Danielsen owns the yardage record from his 2002 season, and the touchdown record was set last year by Allen Lazard.

“He wanted me to break it and I want to break it,” Butler said, joking about his old teammate. “I don’t want people to remember Allen.”