Brett Twelmeyer, Sports Editor (6-2)
No. 17 Iowa State 28, Kansas 24
Yeah, I didn’t expect the Cyclones to lose to Texas Tech. But that’s the beauty of the Big 12: anything can happen any given week.
That mantra holds true this week as Iowa State travels to Kansas City, Missouri, to play the Kansas Jayhawks. This one can be a trap game too, and snowballing losses aren’t uncommon in a conference with as much parity as the Big 12.
Don’t let the record fool you. Kansas is a good, experienced football team. Though the Jayhawks are 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the Big 12, five of those losses were by one score. Kansas could easily be 7-1 if a few plays went its way.
This game is massive for both teams but for different reasons.
The Jayhawks are still fighting for the postseason, considering they need to win out to make a bowl game. They still have something to play for, as do the Cyclones, who can still make the Big 12 championship if they win out.
The key for Iowa State will be to stop the running game Kansas presents, namely in dual-threat quarterback Jalon Daniels and running back Devin Neal. Daniels will be the sixth dual-threat quarterback the Cyclones will see this season.
I see this game playing out much like the UCF game. Kansas will run all over the Iowa State defense but will pay when forced to pass. I won’t be shocked if the Jayhawks win, but I like the Cyclones to get a win at Arrowhead Stadium.
Fun fact: last time the Cyclones played at Arrowhead, they lost to Florida State 38-31 in 2002.
Pavle Markovic, Assistant Sports Editor (5-3)
No. 17 Iowa State 30, Kansas 24
Well, I certainly didn’t expect to see Iowa State fall the way it did in Saturday’s 23-22 loss to Texas Tech.
So many missed opportunities that tied in with needless penalties dug the Cyclones into such a big hole that they couldn’t just climb out of, despite holding the lead with less than a minute left in the game.
But I think this loss gives Iowa State a good reality check. It lets the team evaluate what they need to improve upon and use it to their advantage throughout the remainder of the season.
Now, they’ll look to use that time of preparation against a Kansas team that is deceived by its 2-6 overall record.
In five of their six defeats, the Jayhawks had only lost within a single score, with the other coming from an 11-point defeat by TCU. Even with its two wins, Kansas was able to dismantle both Lindenwood and Houston, even though those two teams don’t scream contenders.
The Jayhawks will be led by their star running back Neal, who in theory should have a field day against an Iowa State defense that has struggled to hold star running backs to less than 100 rushing yards and no touchdowns.
Along with Neal will be quarterback Daniels, who has started to pick his game up as of late, but has still shown at times to be inconsistent which has led to Kansas’ underwhelming season.
I do believe that the Cyclones defense will take advantage of Daniels’ inconsistencies and make it hard for him to find success in the passing game, despite having an advantage with his legs.
As for the Iowa State offense, they’ll be going up against potentially the best defense they’ve faced all season, at least on paper.
The Jayhawks have four players with at least three sacks on the season, on top of having an elite cornerback duo in Cobee Bryant and Mello Dotson.
Kansas will most certainly try to make quarterback Rocco Becht and the Cyclones offense struggle to find success as the game goes on.
While I do have this game being closer than I think Iowa State would like it to be, I see the Cyclones bouncing back after their first loss of the season by taking down a feisty Jayhawks team.
Cayden Storm, Sports Reporter (7-1)
No. 17 Iowa State 34, Kansas 14
Just like Iowa State, I also suffered my first loss of the season after Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks ran in the ball for a game winning touchdown with just 20 seconds to go last Saturday.
That loss caught me and I’m sure many others off guard. I wasn’t necessarily expecting the Cyclones to run the table and finish the season undefeated, but I wasn’t expecting the loss to come in that spot.
The game was on homecoming, with a chance to go 8-0 for the first time in program history against a team that had dropped its last two games. Everything was pointing to a historic victory for Iowa State.
Maybe the Cyclones felt the same way. Maybe they overlooked the Red Raiders.
The Cyclones played the least disciplined football they have all season. They committed a season-high eight penalties, committed two very costly turnovers and just looked sloppy in all three phases of the game.
That sounds a lot like a team that might not have been prepared for the battle they were going into.
I don’t think that will be the case when Iowa State makes the trip Saturday to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City to take on Kansas.
I think we’ll see a team playing with a real sense of urgency, which I don’t think we saw last week. The coaches and players know what’s at stake in this game and for the rest of the season.
They know they most likely have to win out in order to achieve the goals they set for themselves at the beginning of the season.
On the defensive side of the ball, I think the Iowa State defensive back room takes advantage of a turnover-prone offense. Kansas quarterback Daniels has already thrown nine interceptions, and there aren’t many better defenses in terms of taking the ball away from the opponent than the Cyclones.
On offense, I think that offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser and his players will come back with a better game plan and better execution against a middle-of-the-pack defense.
Overall, I think we’ll see a much more motivated and disciplined football team than what we saw last Saturday.
I think the Cyclones play one of their best games of the season.
Guest Editor (3-1): Jacob Rice, Visuals Editor
No. 17 Iowa State 38, Kansas 21
Texas Tech was a reality check that was much needed for Iowa State. While the idea of going 8-0 was great, a loss was going to happen eventually. Bouncing off of their loss, the Cyclones have something to prove, and Kansas is the perfect team to beat on to boost their confidence.
Noel will have the home-field advantage. I believe being back in his hometown of Kansas City and playing in his favorite NFL team’s stadium will give him more energy for positive yardage and potential scores.
Noel has been an essential piece to getting up the field this season and I’d love to see him get some touchdowns, showing why our receiving duo are some of the best in the Big 12.
While I have confidence that this game could be an offensive blowout, Kansas running back Neal concerns me. Neal is a consistent rusher and receiver, scoring at least one touchdown in the past five games.
When you watch any of KU’s games from this season, Neal is a standout player who is a necessity to their offense. If Iowa State can contain his explosiveness, they will win this game.
