(Photo Credit: Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Rocco Becht, RB Carson Hansen, RB Abu Sama III, OC Dylan Barrett, OG Brendan Black, OT Tyler Miller, NT Domonique Orange, LB Rylan Barnes, LB Kooper Ebel, LB Beau Goodwin, LB Jack Sadowski V, CB Jontez Williams, NB Jeremiah Cooper, SS Ta’Shawn James, PK Kyle Konrardy, and PT Tyler Perkins.
Key Players Departing:
WR Jayden Higgins, WR/RS Jaylin Noel, OC Jarrod Hufford, OT Jalen Travis, DE Tyler Onyedim, DE Joey Petersen, DT JR Singleton, LB Jacob Ellis, CB Darien Porter, CB/KR Myles Purchase, BS Malik Verdon, MS Beau Freyler, and KR Jaylon Jackson.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: WR Chase Sowell (East Carolina transfer), OT Kuol Kuol (Dayton, Ohio), and LB Will Hawthorne (Gilbert, Iowa).
3 Start Recruits: CB Tre Bell (Lindenwood transfer), DS Ethan Stecker (Spirit Lake, Iowa), QB Alex Manske (Algona, Iowa), OT Will Thomkins (Cedar Falls, Iowa), DT Ka’Mori Moore (Lees Summit, Missouri), EDGE Jack Limbaugh (Algona, Iowa), and OT Derek Jensen (Wisconsin transfer).
2024 Results:
G01 NORTH DAKOTA W 21-3
G02 @ #21 Iowa W 20-19
G03 ARKANSAS STATE W 52-7
G04 @ Houston W 20-0
G05 BAYLOR W 43-21
G06 @ West Virginia W 28-16
G07 UCF W 38-35
G08 TEXAS TECH L 22-23
G09 @ Kansas L 36-45
G10 CINCINNATI W 34-17
G11 @ Utah W 31-28
G12 #24 KANSAS STATE W 29-21
B12 vs. #15 Arizona State L 19-45
BOWL vs. #13 Miami, FL W 42-41
Misc. Team Information:
2024 Record: 11-3 (2nd in Big XII)
Home: 6-1
Away: 4-1
Neutral: 1-1
B12: 7-2
Non-B10: 4-1
Head Coach: Matt Campbell
Iowa State: 64-51
Bowls: 5-5
Career: 99-66
(Photo Credit: USA Today Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Rocco Becht (271-456, 3505 yards, 59.4%, 7.7 avg., 25 TD, 9 INT)
Rushing: Carson Hansen (151 car., 752 yards, 5.0 avg., 13 TD)
Receiving: Gabe Burkle (26 rec., 296 yards, 11.4 avg., 1 TD)
TDs Scored: Carson Hansen (15)
Sacks: 4 Tied (1)
Tackles: Kooper Ebel (69)
Interceptions: Jontez Williams (4)
Pass Deflections: Jeremiah Cooper (8)
Tackles For Loss: Kooper Ebel (6)
Forced Fumbles: 4 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Eli Green (1 ret., 22 yards, 22.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Kyle Konrardy (21-28 fg/fga, 75%, 46-48 xp/xpa, 109 pts.)
Punting: Tyler Perkins (37 punts, 1642 yards, 44.4 avg., 8 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 3 Rocco Becht (RS JR)
RB: 26 Carson Hansen (JR)
TE: 84 Gabe Burkle (RS JR)
WR: 16 Daniel Jackson (RS SR)
WR: 0 Chase Sowell (RS JR/TR)
TE: 82 Tyler Moore (RS SR)
LT: 75 James Neal (RS SR/TR)
LG: 70 Trevor Buhr (RS SO)
OC: 61 Dylan Barrett (RS SR/TR)
RG: 51 Brendan Black (JR)
RT: 66 Tyler Miller (RS SR)
KR: 4 Xavier Townsend (RS JR/TR)
PK: 97 Kyle Konrardy (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 88 Ikenna Ezeogu (RS JR)
NT: 53 Zaimir Hawk (RS SO)
DT: 95 Domonique Orange (SR)
DE: 8 Vontroy Malone (RS JR/RS)
LB: 47 Kooper Ebel (JR)
LB: 33 Jack Sadowsky V (JR)
NB: 4 Jeremiah Cooper (SR)
CB: 21 Tre Bell (RS JR/TR)
CB: 3 Jontez Williams (RS JR)
FS: 2 Jamison Patton (JR)
SS: 19 Ta’Shawn James (RS SO)
PR: 4 Xavier Townsend (RS JR/TR)
PT: 80 Tyler Perkins (SR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: B
Punters: A
Schedule:
08/23 vs. Kansas State Wildcats | Iowa State leads the series 54-50-4. The Cyclones are 5-5 since 2015, and their last series loss (9-10) was in 2022.
08/30 SOUTH DAKOTA COYOTES | Iowa state leads the series 9-0. The Cyclones won (41-6) the last meeting in 1959, and they won (53-0) the prior meeting in 1958.
09/06 IOWA HAWKEYES | Iowa State trails the series 24-47. The Cyclones are 2-7 since 2015, and their last series loss (13-20) was in 2023.
09/13 @ Arkansas State Red Wolves | Last season’s 52-7 win was the first meeting between schools.
09/27 ARIZONA WILDCATS | Iowa State trails the series 1-4-1. The Cyclones lost (12-21) the last meeting in 1968, and they lost (24-27) the prior meeting in 1966.
10/04 @ Cincinnati Bearcats | Iowa State leads the series 2-0. The Cyclones won (34-17 last season’s meeting, and they won (30-10) the inaugural meeting in 2023.
10/11 @ Colorado Buffaloes | Iowa State trails the series 15-49-1. The Cyclones lost (14-34) the last meeting in 2010, and they won (17-10) the prior meeting in 2009.
10/25 BYU COUGARS | Iowa State leads the series 5-0. The Cyclones won (45-13) the last meeting in 2023, and they won (34-7) the prior meeting in 1974.
11/01 ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS | Last season’s 19-45 loss was the first meeting between schools.
11/08 @ TCU Horned Frogs | Iowa State trails the series 6-9. The Cyclones are 5-4 since 2015, and they won (27-14) the last meeting in 2023.
11/22 KANSAS JAYHAWKS | Iowa State trails the series 45-53-6. The Cyclones are 7-3 since 2015, and their last series win (59-7) was in 2021.
11/29 @ Oklahoma State Cowboys | Iowa State trails the series 21-34-3. The Cyclones are 3-6 since 2015, and they won (34-27) the last meeting in 2023.
Predictions:
Home: 6-0
Road: 4-1
Neutral: 2-0
B12: 9-0
Non-B12: 3-1
Overall: 12-1 (1st in Big XII/Big XII Champions – Playoffs 4th seed – Eliminated in Semifinals)
gridironpredictions.net 