Good Cop: Nick Mensen
This season for the Iowa State Cyclones has been a rollercoaster ride, with a ton of injuries, a 7-0 start followed by a two-loss skid and last week’s hiccups from BYU and Colorado to pave the path to the Big 12 Championship. One road obstruction sits in the way and that’s the Kansas State Wildcats.
Both teams, and seven others in the conference, have possible paths to the Big 12 Championship. For the Cyclones, it’s nearly a win-and-in situation.
The common pattern in Kansas State’s three losses is that opposing defenses held the Wildcats to under 20 points. This will be a key focus for Jon Heacock’s defense during the game.
Quarterback Avery Johnson comes into this game with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions on the season and averages 209 passing yards per game. The Wildcats rushing game averages 210 rushing yards per game as well. With the weakness of the Iowa State linebackers, this area of the game could get scary quickly.
On the flip side, Iowa State’s passing attack has a good possibility to counter this, and the blueprint to do so. In Kansas State’s most recent loss to Arizona State, it gave up 275 yards through the air and three passing touchdowns.
Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht averages 262 passing yards per game and has 18 touchdowns on the season, but Iowa State’s run game in running back Carson Hansen should be enough to make up for those small margins.
Saturday’s game is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. on FOX. Iowa State is playing in its sixth-night game this season and is undefeated during the night slot. The Cyclones have been known to win games this season when it looked like they wouldn’t, and this game should be another one of those games that come down to the wire.
Final Score Prediction: No. 18 Iowa State 31, No. 24 Kansas State 28
Bad Cop: Stephen Schwartz
The stakes couldn’t be higher for the Iowa State Cyclones as they prepare to host Kansas State in a must-win game to secure a spot in the Big 12 Championship.
While playing at home might seem like an advantage, this is anything but a guaranteed victory. The Wildcats, despite being basically out of the championship race themselves, would love nothing more than to spoil Iowa State’s season and play the role of upset kings.
Kansas State began the season strong at 7-1 but stumbled with back-to-back losses to Houston and a fiery Arizona State team. However, the Wildcats bounced back last week with a dominant 41-point showing against Cincinnati, a team that gave the Cyclones a much closer game a few weeks ago.
Make no mistake: Kansas State has proven it can hang with anyone. While some of its wins have been nail-biters, they’ve come against formidable opponents like Colorado and a red-hot Kansas team.
The Wildcats’ success this season is driven by their explosive offense, spearheaded by quarterback Avery Johnson, running back DJ Giddens and wide receiver Jayce Brown.
Johnson has been electric, throwing for nearly 2,300 yards and 19 touchdowns, while adding another six scores on the ground with over 450 rushing yards. Giddens is a workhorse, amassing over 1,200 rushing yards this season and averaging nearly 10 yards per carry over his last two games. Brown has been a reliable playmaker, racking up 650 receiving yards on fewer than 40 catches.
However, two uncontrollable factors loom large over this game: the weather and the timing. With temperatures expected to hover around 20 F at kickoff and possibly drop further, this game will be a test of endurance. Snow isn’t forecasted, for now, but in the Midwest, that can change on a dime.
Adding to the challenge is the timing of the game during Thanksgiving break. Many out-of-state Cyclone fans are likely to stay home, leaving Jack Trice Stadium less electric than usual, a tough blow for a team that thrives on fan support.
For Iowa State, the mission is simple: win and secure a trip to the Big 12 Championship. But if Kansas State can exploit the reduced student turnout, control the game with its dynamic offensive trio and thrive in the frigid conditions, the Cyclones could find themselves in a high-stakes battle.
A loss here wouldn’t just end their hopes for the Big 12 title, it would mark a bitter conclusion to what was shaping up to be a historic season.
Score Prediction: No. 24 Kansas State 31, No. 18 Iowa State 27
