Brett Twelmeyer, Sports Editor (4-1)
No. 11 Iowa State 34, West Virginia 28
Another week, another primetime game for the No. 11 Cyclones. This team is firing on all cylinders right now, and they look nearly unstoppable.
Against Baylor, Iowa State started a bit slow but woke up in the second half, much like in its other four games this season. I don’t know if defensive coordinator Jon Heacock was trying to gaslight us or something with the defensive performance, but it was a complete 180 from half to half.
On the flip side, the running back room lit it up once again. The three-headed monster of senior Jaylon Jackson and sophomores Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III have found their stride.
West Virginia presents a solid running back room of its own in CJ Donaldson Jr. and Jahiem White, who have a combined 713 yards and nine touchdowns on a total of 127 carries between them. Add on a dual-threat quarterback in Garrett Greene, and the Mountaineers present a triple option of rushers themselves.
Though Greene has 295 rushing yards on 55 carries, his passing numbers are lackluster. He has completed under 60% of his passes and has seven touchdowns to four interceptions in five games.
The Iowa State secondary has intercepted at least one pass in every game this season, so odds are Greene will throw a pick to a Cyclone defensive back.
I will say the one thing that scares me the most is that this is a theme game at night for the Mountaineers. This is West Virginia’s first game with the coal rush uniforms, and if I remember correctly, Iowa State hosted and beat a ranked West Virginia team in a blackout game at night in 2018.
This game feels eerily similar in the opposite fashion.
One final note from me: West Virginia leads the all-time series 6-5 over the Cyclones. The home team is also 6-5 in the series. If Iowa State wins this game, the series and the home and away records both would change to 6-6.
Pavle Markovic, Assistant Sports Editor (4-1)
West Virginia 31, No. 11 Iowa State 20
Now, I know I’ll be the only one picking West Virginia to upset No. 11 Iowa State this weekend, but this matchup just gives me bad vibes for the Cyclones.
My main reason as to why I think Iowa State will drop its first game of the season is because of the environment that awaits them in Morgantown.
The Mountaineer fans are much like the Cyclone faithfuls here in Ames and will support their team until the very end, which I admire about their fanbase.
Morgantown has always been known as one of the toughest places to play for a road team, and the same will be the case for Iowa State as they take on West Virginia during its debut of the coal rush uniforms at night.
Now, I know the Cyclones have played in a tough environment before when they dethroned Iowa for the Cy-Hawk trophy in Iowa City, but everyone saw how difficult it was for Iowa State to get this win over the Hawkeyes.
Kinnick Stadium brought a deafening noise to the game, and it was evident that the Cyclones struggled to communicate with the loud noise, especially early in the game.
But Iowa State did find a way, in the end, to beat out the noise and win a tough game on the road from the heroics of kicker Kyle Konrardy.
Still, in the Cyclones upcoming matchup against the Mountaineers, I have Iowa State dropping its first game of the season on Saturday to a West Virginia team that looks to run the ball all over an inconsistent Cyclones run defense.
I just hope they don’t let this loss tell the tale for the rest of the season and ruin everything they have worked so hard for thus far.
Cayden Storm, Sports Reporter (5-0)
No. 11 Iowa State 31, West Virginia 23
Last week, the Cyclones scared me a little bit in the first half, but I was never truly worried that their undefeated record and my undefeated record were in jeopardy.
After a shaky start to the game that saw Iowa State down 19-21 early in the third quarter, the Cyclones went on a tear, outscoring Baylor 24-0 in the final 28 minutes of the game, securing the blowout I predicted.
This week is a much tougher test.
Heading into Morgantown, West Virginia, is never an easy task, but the fact that it’s a night game and the Mountaineers are doing their “coal rush” will make the environment even tougher.
If this was the Cyclones’ first tough road test, I would be very concerned, but it’s not. Iowa State already went into Iowa City and beat its in-state rival Iowa after weathering the storm of the environment. The Cyclones let the crowd affect them in the first half but made adjustments that minimized the crowds effect later in the game, and I think they’ll be able to do the same thing at West Virginia.
As far as on the field, it’s kind of the same formula I’ve talked about all season. If the Cyclones can stop the Mountaineers’ running game, they should win this game.
Garrett Greene is not the quarterback that is going to crack Iowa State’s secondary, and I think the Cyclones offense will find pretty good success in this game.
So, if Iowa State can stop the run, they move to 6-0 for the first time since 1938. I think they will. Give me the Cyclones to keep the undefeated season alive.
Guest Picker (1-0): Brayton Kohl, Academics Editor
No. 11 Iowa State 27, West Virginia 24
Another nationally televised primetime game means all eyes will be on the Cyclones as they travel to Morgantown. After last week’s statement win over Big 12 foe Baylor, I think the Cyclones can advance to 6-0 this week (which would already make them eligible for a bowl game!), but only if they win the turnover battle and can battle in the trenches.
While it will be tough, I think the Cyclones can ride the momentum and take the W, backed by a few key plays by Rocco Becht and the running backs room. I will pick Iowa State 27-24 over the Mountaineers, making it the university’s hottest start since 1938.
