Good Cop: Ford Griffith
Following a 52-7 beatdown over Arkansas State, No. 18 Iowa State travels to Houston to take on the 1-3 Cougars for its Big 12 opener.
The Cyclones closed out non-conference play with no slip-up games and looked like a team that was playing with very high confidence. At this point one year ago, Iowa State dropped two games, including a collapse against mid-major opponent Ohio.
This new look Cyclone team looks poised from top to bottom and seems prepared for conference play to begin. Playing against Houston should be a good tune-up game for Iowa State to prepare for tougher Big 12 opponents.
Redshirt sophomore Rocco Becht has continued to look like a veteran quarterback, completing just over 68% of his passes, with an average distance of 9.3 yards per completion.
The Cougars have only allowed six passing touchdowns through four games, so senior Cyclone receivers Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins should be looking to get in the endzone again this week.
Offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser has tapped a little deeper into his playbook that has looked different than Cyclone offenses of the recent past. A fake quarterback sneak that led to a one-handed catch from sophomore tight end Benjamin Brahmer is just one of the creative calls that Iowa State threw against Arkansas State.
Houston also does not know who to prepare for in the run game after the Cyclones finally got it going against the Red Wolves. Iowa State had two rushers over 50 yards and three runners with touchdowns, none of which were sophomore Abu Sama III, however.
The Cyclone defense has intercepted the ball five times this year, and Cougars quarterback Donovan Smith has thrown four interceptions just this season. The Iowa State secondary will continue to flex its experience and be a difference-maker in the game against Houston.
Expect the Cyclone offense to be aggressive on offense and get out to an early lead. The Iowa State defense should continue to play at a high level despite lingering linebacker injuries. If the Cyclones play at the same level as they did in their 52-7 win, they should run away with this one.
Score Prediction: No. 18 Iowa State 35, Houston 10
Bad Cop: Conner Swanson
Iowa State is off to a hot start this season. All three games have had a different feel.
North Dakota was a solid win but there was still work to do on the defensive side. Iowa was a gritty win that resulted in one of the most memorable moments in the Cyclones’ history. Arkansas State was complete and utter domination from start to finish. What could a disappointing Houston team bring to the table?
After holding then-No. 15 Oklahoma to just 16 points and getting a blowout win against Rice, the Cougars were looking to ride some momentum into a conference battle with Cincinnati. They took about three steps back when they got shut out 34-0.
The defense allowed 400 yards of offense and four touchdowns. Gauging the upcoming match between the two squads off of this matchup could prove misleading.
Houston was ranked third in fewest total yards allowed per game at 238.7 and passing yards at 123.7 before they ran into the Bearcats. If the Cougars can get some of that defensive magic back, they can definitely cause problems for the Iowa State offense.
The Cyclones ranked first amongst Big 12 teams in points allowed with 29 total and an astonishing 9.7 points per game. The next closest is BYU at 51 points and 12.8 points per game.
If Houston wants to have any success, they are going to have to turn to its defense to make plays. Becht has thrown an interception in his last two games, so I am sure the Cougars will play aggressive coverages to bait him into some risky throws.
Houston will have to bank on its defensive play to combat a solid Iowa State offense, but it will not be an easy task. At the end of the day, it’s college football and anything can happen, but the Cyclones should be able to handle the Cougars.
Final Score: No. 18 Iowa State 27, Houston 13
