Good Cop: Owen Slinde
The Cyclones are back on track again and face another road test. They will face Cincinnati for what should be a good battle.
The offense looked great Saturday night. Becht kept it easy because the run game looked and worked pretty well, which I was happy to see. However, I think the Cyclones are going to need to play better against the Bearcats.
The offense will need to find a balanced rhythm that keeps the Bearcats defense guessing. Becht’s accuracy and decision-making will be crucial, and I think the Cyclones should mix up their plays. Establishing that run game again and early will not only help control the clock but also open up those passing opportunities. I think the offensive line will continue to protect Becht, giving him time and space. Red zone efficiency will also be a key to capitalizing on scoring opportunities.
Defensively, the Cyclones should focus on putting pressure on the Bearcats’ quarterback, disrupting the passing game, and, similar to last week, forcing turnovers. I would like to see what an aggressive pass rush and solid coverage in the secondary will do to fluster the Bearcats. Lastly, they must limit explosive plays in the air or on the ground. They can’t give any momentum being on the road.
While they did not convert on every turnover the defense got, the Cyclones did not have a single turnover, which was their third time doing that all season, all of which have resulted in wins.
The key will be the possession battle. Don’t turn the ball over, and you win.
I think the Cyclones will march into enemy territory and spoil Cincinnati’s homecoming.
Score Prediction: Iowa State 28, Cincinnati 20
Bad Cop: Cayden Storm
Coming off of a great win, the Cyclones are riding high, but there are still plenty of things to worry about as they head to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats.
Last week the Cyclones cruised to the win, beating TCU 27-14, but if you look closely, it is clear that the score does not tell the whole story.
Yes, the Cyclones held TCU to just 14 points on the night, which is great, but the underlying statistics show that their performance may not be repeatable.
As I watched the game, I kept wondering to myself how TCU had not scored more, as its offense seemed to be moving the ball fairly well. The answer was turnovers.
Iowa State forced four turnovers in the game, and obviously, that is not a bad thing. The problem is that turnovers are not something that you can rely on every week.
Despite TCU only putting 14 points on the scoreboard, they actually outgained Iowa State, putting up 398 total yards and averaging five yards a carry—not to mention that TCU’s starting quarterback left the game early with an injury.
Iowa State’s defense had struggled the previous two weeks, and while they did what they had to do by getting those turnovers, the defense will have to play much better on a down-to-down basis if they want to continue their success.
The offense, on the other hand, seemed to work out some of their issues against TCU.
For the first time this season, the run game really got going, as they racked up over 200 yards on the ground on 5.8 yards per carry.
The passing game was nothing special, with Rocco Becht going just 16-28 for 138 yards and a touchdown, but Becht avoided mistakes and let the running game take the reins, which was nice to see.
I would have liked to see the offense take better advantage of the turnovers the defense created. When you have created four turnovers and blocked a punt in the opponent’s territory, you should score more than 27 points in the game, but at the end of the day, they did what they had to do to get the win.
Cincinnati’s season has gone a lot like Iowa State’s to a certain degree.
The Bearcats have picked up a few decent wins over Pittsburgh and Eastern Kentucky but have a baffling overtime loss to Miami University of Ohio.
It is hard to say that they have looked impressive this season, but they are not a terrible team by any stretch as they continue to look for their first-ever Big 12 win.
I think that Cincinnati, coming off of a bye, playing at home for their homecoming and highly motivated to get back on track, will catch the Cyclones on a bad day and come away with a tight victory.
