Brett Twelmeyer, Sports Editor (6-3)

Iowa State 37, Cincinnati 33

This game has become what I believe is now the most important on the calendar for Iowa State. After a blazing hot 7-0 start, the Cyclones have lost their last two and need to stop the bleeding.

A loss surely eliminates Iowa State from any realistic shot at a Big 12 title and throws away any small consideration of the College Football Playoff. A win keeps hope in the Big 12 Championship alive.

Cincinnati is an opponent Iowa State should beat on paper, but the Bearcats have been prone to some good games, and similar ones to that of the Cyclones.

Like Iowa State, Cincinnati shut out Houston, lost to Texas Tech by a score, narrowly survived UCF and beat West Virginia. The Bearcats are 5-4 overall and 3-3 in the Big 12.

This is one of the biggest do-or-die games Iowa State has had in a while.

I know a lot of guys are banged up, but the Cyclones have to be chomping at the bit for this game. They lost the last home game. They’ve lost two games in a row. They’re playing a team that also enters on a two-game losing streak.

The main problem is that Cincinnati can run the ball well, which has been a major problem the Iowa State defense hasn’t fixed.

Iowa State hasn’t lost a night game yet this season and this game is at 7 p.m. I think it stays that way. Give me the Cyclones to win a huge “get right” game.

Pavle Markovic, Assistant Sports Editor (5-4)

Iowa State 45, Cincinnati 30

I know at first glance this score prediction is odd, but why not throw it out there and see if it sticks?

I mean, after seeing what the Cyclones have done over the past two weeks, it shouldn’t hurt to try and make things interesting.

But as for why I specifically have the score prediction, it has mainly relied upon what the Iowa State offense showed us in Kansas City and the familiarity they’ll have with the Bearcat defense because of defensive coordinator Tyson Veidt. 

If you don’t know, Veidt had been a long-time coach here at Iowa State before taking the defensive coordinator position at Cincinnati back in January. He helped coach up one of the most feared defenses in the Big 12 alongside current Cyclones defensive coordinator Jon Heacock.

Veidt runs the same 3-3-5 defense that Heacock runs, with some small tweaks, so it shouldn’t be much of an issue to see this Iowa State offense get off to a hot start against a defense that they practice regularly against and have practiced against when Veidt was still in Ames.

When it comes to the Bearcats offense, they remind me a lot of Texas Tech’s offense but slightly worse. Quarterback Brendan Sorsby has played well for Cincinnati, but has not faced as stout of a defense as the Cyclones have.

Granted, it will be determined by whether Iowa State has some players come back from injuries or not, and if they can rebound from the disastrous performance they had in Kansas City, but I believe they will get the job done in the end.

That along with the fact that the Cyclones have been undefeated in night games at Jack Trice Stadium adds a little more confidence in myself picking Iowa State to break out of the two-game funk it’s in and keep the postseason hopes alive.

Cayden Storm, Sports Reporter (7-2)

Iowa State 31, Cincinnati 28

My record goes just as the Cyclones’ record goes, because I still haven’t picked against them once this season. 

This seems like the spot where I should finally pick against them, however. The team looked straight up bad last week against Kansas and it feels like the wheels may be falling off the wagon.

But I just can’t bring myself to do it. 

Every game from now until the end of the season is a must win for Iowa State if it wants a chance to go to Arlington, Texas, for the Big 12 Championship game, and it still might not make it if they pull it off. 

For that reason, I expect the Cyclones to play with the same intensity that they have played with the entire season because despite what it may feel like, everything they want to achieve is still possible. 

However, playing with intensity doesn’t change the fact that the Iowa State defense is still decimated by injuries. That is the one thing that is giving me real concern going into Saturday night. 

Fortunately for the defense, Cincinnati doesn’t have quite the offensive firepower that Kansas has, in my opinion. I think that the Cyclone defense bounces back and plays better against Cincinnati because frankly, it would be hard to play worse. 

On the offensive side of the ball, I liked what Rocco Becht and the offense did against Kansas last week, despite the loss. 

Becht spread the ball around nicely and was able to convert on a number of explosive plays which almost got the Cyclones back into the game before an untimely pick-six.

If the offense can play like that once again, I think it will be enough to edge out the Bearcats in a back-and-forth affair. 

Guest Editor (3-2): Haley Marzorati, Student Life Editor

Iowa State 31, Cincinnati 24

Following two losses, I think this will be our stride upwards. Being 7-0 at one point, I truly believe in this game that the Cyclones will take the win. 

Being on our home field again will give us an advantage after being at Arrowhead last week. This will really motivate our team to lock in.

I think the first half will be tough for the Cyclones, but in the second half, they will lead us to victory.