AMES — Iowa State came out on top of TCU 27-14 in what could be one of the most important games of the season.
Entering the game, Iowa State sat at 2-3, coming off a blowout loss to Oklahoma. That loss stung more than expected.
“We had to rebound after last week,” Beau Freyler said. “We didn’t play up to our standard.”
With six games remaining after the Jack Trice Legacy game, chances were running out for the Cyclones to get up to the six-game bowl game eligibility mark. It is still possible, but the Cyclones had to take down TCU, who caused them problems last year.
Along with the game being important to keep their bowl game hopes alive, the Cyclones were coming off a 62-14 loss a season prior. Revenge was on the table for the Cyclones as they hosted the Horned Frogs.
“This game was personal to us as a team,” Rocco Becht said. “Nine months ago, we went into their place, and we didn’t play so well. So getting this win against TCU this week against a great team, it was awesome.”
The last kicker about the game was that it was being played to honor Jack Trice and his legacy at Iowa State. A win was much-needed for the team as they continue to roll through conference play.
A win was also much-needed to honor one of the most influential players in Iowa State history. A loss would have been unacceptable.
“It’s an important game in the conference in general to give us a 2-1 record, but being able to represent Jack Trice and his family the right way, obviously not going to be another 100-year anniversary,” Darien Porter said. “Being able to cap the night off with a win is really important to us.”
The game was also being anticipated for a while from the entire team. They knew the importance of celebrating Trice and defending home turf.
“This has not been a one-week situation, this is something we’ve talked about every step of the way going into this season,” Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell said.
With everything on the table, this could have been the most important win of the season. Moving to 3-3 on the season keeps the team’s postseason hopes alive.
The team as a whole understood the importance of a win in front of a packed home crowd and they did what they needed to.
“It’s extremely important to all of us,” Freyler said. “We care so much about honoring his legacy, what he’s provided to so many people and the legacy he left this program.”
Going forward, there is a good chance that Iowa State makes a bowl game. If someone would have said that to me following the Ohio loss, I would have laughed in their face.
The past three weeks have given me hope. A fire lit under the offense against Oklahoma State that has not gone out. Although the fire flickered a bit against Oklahoma, it came back in full form against TCU.
Along with that, the defense returned to its elite form it showed last season and in the first three games of the 2023 season. Although big plays were given up, the defense clutched up when needed and really only gave up seven points if you don’t look at the touchdown in garbage time.
All in all, the Cyclones look to be rolling at an important point in the season.
“It’s a huge win creating momentum,” Freyler said. “Especially winning at home. It’s a big win for winning in the Big 12 Conference, which is huge.”
The Cyclones are at the halfway point in the year, and sitting at a .500 record is promising going forward. They are only now starting to catch their stride as well.
There are still plenty of chances to get wins in the coming weeks and reach a bowl game. The first chance comes against Cincinnati.
Cincinnati started the season hot but fell off a cliff in week three. The Bearcats lost to Miami (Ohio) by a touchdown and are 0-2 in Big 12 play so far. As the Cyclones travel to Ohio, it could be another chance to keep the momentum rolling.
After Cincinnati comes Baylor, another beatable team. Baylor has been trounced by two of its Big 12 opponents in Texas and Texas Tech. Although the Bears pulled a miracle comeback against UCF, they don’t appear to be that hot.
As the Cyclones roll through October, they could actually have a shot of remaining undefeated through the month. Campbell saw the potential in the young team before the season, and now that potential is starting to peek through.
If the Cyclones continue to dominate on both sides of the ball, they could turn out to be a great team, something that was unexpected going into the year.
“It’s got a chance to be really special,” Campbell said. “The great teams in college football, you can’t declare them in September. And you sure can’t declare them halfway through October, but they’ll show up.”
As Iowa State rolls through its conference schedule, there are chances to improve and chances to get good quality wins. The Cyclones really only need three more wins to make a bowl game.
Whether they can leave October undefeated, take down some iffy matchups like their homecoming matchup against Kansas or the road trip to BYU, or even just finishing the year strong with a win over a shaky Kansas State team, I have high hopes for this team.
Bowl-game hopes are very much alive. Winning the Jack Trice Legacy Game was just the start of what could be a special back half of the season.
The Cyclones have endless potential, that is for sure, and they are just now coming alive.
“We still haven’t come anywhere close to what we’re capable of playing,” Campbell said. “That’s exciting.”
