Christian Royston, Sports Editor (4-4)
Iowa State 31, Kansas 28

This will be a defining matchup for the Cyclones, as they host Kansas who broke back into the AP Top-25 Poll following a huge upset against Oklahoma. The game could go either way, as both teams have things going in their favor.

Kansas has the momentum, as the Jayhawks took down the top team in the Big 12 in dramatic fashion. Although the win was in Lawrence, Kansas, it showed that the Jayhawks have the firepower to compete with any team in the league. Kansas sits near the top of the Big 12 in offense, sitting in third for points per game with 36. The only two teams above the Jayhawks are Oklahoma and Kansas State.

However, Kansas struggles on the road, which will bode well for the Cyclones. All of the Jayhawks’ losses came on the road, as they lost to Texas and Oklahoma State. They also only beat Nevada on the road by only one score. Although they sit at 6-2, Iowa State is favored to win.

The Cyclones play better at home, especially at night. The Cyclones are 8-3 at night since 2017. Along with that, Kansas has not won at Jack Trice Stadium since 2008. The Jayhawks may look like the better team on paper, but the atmosphere around the homecoming game will play a factor and push Iowa State to a win.

Logan Shanks, Assistant Sports Editor (6-2)
Iowa State 30, Kansas 24

The Cyclone defense will have its hands full on Saturday when they take on the Jayhawks, a team they have regularly dominated in the Matt Campbell era, but something feels different about this Kansas team. The Jayhawks’ high-powered run game has kept them in games and will no doubt be a focus for Iowa State to stop in its homecoming game.

Offensively, the Cyclones should find success early as Kansas has allowed 45 first-half points in its last two games. If there is one thing Campbell has historically found success with, especially when playing at home, it is his ability to hold onto leads and play smart football down the stretch.

Iowa State is undefeated at home against conference opponents this season and has done so by forcing its opponents to play their worst games on offense, which I see staying stagnant against the Jayhawks. In Kansas’ losses on the road this season against conference opponents one thing has stayed the same: take away their run game and force Jason Bean to throw the ball.

The front seven of the Cyclone defense has stepped up against their last two opponents, holding both Baylor and Cincinnati to under 3.6 yards per carry. If the Cyclones shut down the Jayhawks run game early and their secondary continues to force turnovers and lock down the skies I believe Iowa State will grab their first top-25 win since beating Oklahoma State in 2021, which was at home, and will cement their spot as one of the top teams in the Big 12.

Pavle Markovic, Sports Reporter (7-1)
Kansas 28, Iowa State 27

Both teams are coming into this matchup riding highs that could make this game go down to the wire. In the end, I have Iowa State’s three-game win streak come to an end at home in a thriller versus the Jayhawks.

Although it may be a night game at Jack Trice Stadium, Kansas will end up doing just enough to get the win with whoever ends up starting at quarterback. But Iowa State should not make this an easy win for Kansas, as the Cyclones have been undefeated at home during Big 12 conference play, and have only suffered one loss in general in Ames when they fell to Iowa at home.

While the Cyclones came off the bye on a good note by beating Baylor, it was not a great performance as it ended up being closer than it should have been. Quarterback Rocco Becht had looked amazing throughout this three-game winning streak but ended up throwing his first interception for the first time since the loss to Oklahoma.

However, Kansas has struggled immensely on the road against Big 12 opponents, as they would have to go back to the 2021 season when they pulled off the upset win in Austin against the Texas Longhorns. Going into Ames, especially in a night game, does not help their case to try and take this game away from the Cyclones. But I do end up thinking they find a way in the end to get it done and get their first win at Jack Trice Stadium since 2008.

Sam Winton, The University Daily Kansan Sports Editor
Iowa State 27, Kansas 24

Kansas beat Iowa State last season for the first time since 2014. The Cyclones have unsurprisingly owned the series in the 2010s, but head coach Lance Leipold and company have created a new era in Lawrence.

The Jayhawks are coming off a huge upset win against Oklahoma, but Kansas needs to continue the momentum from the win, not have a let-down game. Kansas has not yet proven itself on the road in the Leipold era, winning just two Big 12 Conference games away from David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

With Kansas being forced to travel to Ames and play at Jack Trice Stadium at night, it’ll be hard for the Jayhawks to pull off the win. The road woes continue and Kansas can’t figure out the Cyclone defense early and is unable to finish the comeback late.