Good Cop: Owen Slinde
The Cyclones look to bounce back this week at Ohio after dropping another Cy-Hawk match at home Saturday.
The Cyclone offense struggled against a tough and well-coached Hawkeye defense and almost had a chance towards the end, but it just wasn’t enough. Also, for a Cy-Hawk game to be your second-ever start had to be a little bit of a challenge for new quarterback Rocco Becht as well.
I expect Becht to get more comfortable this week. I think he’s still getting used to reading defenses and making those quick decisions. There were a few times last week when the offense just didn’t execute. They need to make those catches and throw those blocks Saturday on their first road test.
On the defensive side, the Cyclones looked great once again. Despite missing a field goal and then Hawkeye running back Jaziun Patterson breaking free for a big gain, they held their own. Jeremiah Cooper is still showing great strides, so be on the lookout for him to continue to rise.
Despite Ohio having a strong defensive core, I still think the Cyclone offense can shine. I’d like to see the running backs get more breakout plays like we saw against UNI, and I think Becht can air the ball out to those wide receivers and tight ends for the big plays.
I honestly think the game will come down to the two offenses. Both defenses are poised and strong so it’ll be on the offensive side.
I think the Cyclones bounce back this week and move to 2-1 entering conference play.
Score Prediction: ISU 21 Ohio 10
Bad Cop: Cayden Storm
Iowa State’s matchup against Ohio looks like it should be a good spot for a big bounce back, but don’t be fooled by their first two games: the Bobcats will be a tough out for the Cyclones.
The Cy-Hawk game went about exactly how I expected it to.
The Cyclone defense once again looked strong, holding Iowa to only 13 offensive points and Cooper picked off his third pass of the season.
The offense on the other hand looked… bad.
Granted, Iowa’s defense could be the best that the Cyclones will face all season but Rocco Becht and the offense left a lot to be desired.
Becht saw his efficiency drop significantly from week one, only completing 52% of his passes on 4.6 yards per attempt and throwing what would turn out to be a game-deciding pick-six.
It wasn’t all on Becht, though. The Iowa State receivers combined for four drops in the game, and you simply can’t do that when you have an inexperienced quarterback going against an elite defense.
Given all of this, I do think Becht and the offense will look better in their first road game of the season. Facing the Iowa defense should prove to be a great learning experience for Becht and I would be shocked if he doesn’t look more composed and confident Saturday.
The defense on the other hand could be in for a unique challenge.
Ohio’s Kurtis Rourke has been described by Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell as “the best quarterback we’ve played so far,” and it’s easy to see where that statement is coming from.
Rourke is a third-year starter and was the 2022 MAC Player of the Year after throwing for over 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns before tearing his ACL in the second to last game of the season.
His combination of talent and experience could give Iowa State’s defense its toughest challenge of the season so far, but I have confidence that the defense will be strong enough to escape Athens, Ohio, with the win.
