I repeat my warning. I want to caveat my Cyclone post with the fact that I will tag Cyclone Fanatic and the respective program on Twitter. I do not post often about Cyclone sports, so unless you are also libertarian in politics or Christian in faith, don’t waste your time following. Most of what I post about is current events from my own perspective.
If you are trying to take your cardinal-colored glasses off and step back from the hype, I also want to warn you this post is not for you. I covered the bad side in an earlier post you can find here.
This is the post where I look at our history and laugh. We finally have a coach and staff that understand what happened in the 80’s or the 90’s doesn’t define the program today. Coach Campbell and his staff have consistently recruited to replace the guys in the program with better talented versions, and they recruited such high caliber guys before that their response has been to work hard and improve to stay ahead of their very talented teammates. The results has been nothing but awe-inspiring.
Even with phenomenal recruiting, the Cyclone football program still hasn’t signed a class ranked in the Top 40. What we’ve seen is an amazing combination of quality recruits, brought into a system that develops them and gets buy-in, producing what Breece Hall so aptly referred to as the 5-star culture. Gone are the days of a mid-season spiral of doom or the waning performance because of a few key injuries. This team fights and has changed the perception of the program nationally.
We not only are getting hype of being the biggest threat to unseat Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship and as a legit outside contender for one of the coveted 4 College Football Playoff bids, but the program actually deserves this. I need to remind you that the athletes and the coaches have earned this, while still never signing a Top 40 recruiting class…yet.
Lets get into it.
Our first game is University of Northern Iowa at home. Despite often starting slower, this is a team we clearly outmatch and we aren’t trying to figure out an offensive line rotation or identify key players. We can, should and likely will dominate this game from start to finish. It could be a time to name your score, but that isn’t Coach Campbell’s style. Probably a 4+ touchdown victory unless UNI throws in the towel and quits, and which point, the young athletes trying to earn meaningful minutes will probably have a field day.
Iowa has never lost to Matt Campbell, and you know that has to frustrate him. This is about to change. For the first time in Coach Campbell’s time at Iowa State, we will at least be Iowa’s equal in the trenches on both sides of the ball. I think both offenses might have a small advantage in the trenches, but I think Iowa State’s skill players on offense will make the difference. Iowa is still hoping their quarterback will develop, and ours already has. Iowa State could win this by 14+ points and if they get out to an early lead, it could be even uglier.
Travelling to a UNLV after this is a great chance to exercise some demons and really get some time for those players cycling in to the two and three deep. This one won’t be close.
Which means Iowa State starts off 3-0 going into the conference season.
Baylor gets to be the first Big 12 team unfortunate enough to welcome the Cyclones. After the way they came out punching last season, and the way we played to start the game, as well as after the tent fiasco in Waco from two seasons ago, there is no way the Cyclones come out flat. I expect Baylor will be decent on defense, but at this point in the season there is no way they will feel comfortable with what they have at quarterback since Brewer transferred. Cyclone will walk out with the W and there is no way the Cyclones would be looking ahead.
Kansas has a new coach, but he won’t help this season. This is also early enough that although they’ll have a lot of fight, they won’t have any substance. They travel to Ames and the Cyclones will just take care of business and start making travel plans for their next game.
Fortunately, Kansas State follows Kansas, and the greatest benefit from this likely belongs to Kansas. Kansas State will do what they always do, but their biggest problem is that Iowa State now does it as well, but we do it better. This game is closer than it should be, but the Cyclones leave with the victory.
Cyclones then travel home to face Oklahoma State. The Cyclone’s only conference loss in the regular season last year, this one is circled. The Cowboys still have a great athlete at quarterback, and running guys give Iowa State fits, but they won’t have an answer on defense. The Cyclone offense will put the stranglehold on the Cowboys and shove them right back on their buses.
Travelling to West Virginia will actually serve as a good refocus for the team. They need a road trip like this to iron out a few wrinkles. WVU will throw something weird at Iowa State, and probably hang around through the first half, but some halftime adjustments will take place and it won’t be close after that.
Texas is Texas. That doesn’t change, but with a new coach, new expectations, and a spoiled attitude among players in Austin, I think their trip to Ames is a reminder that although their money might make them belong in the SEC, their football does not. I mean, any more than Arkansas, Vanderbilt or some of the other punching bags.
Cyclones are 9-0 at this point and most certainly a Top 4 team in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Texas Tech gets to welcome the Cyclones at this point, and they won’t feel like it is welcoming. Tech will be reeling and probably scrounging to find a sixth win on their schedule. Unfortunately for them, this one won’t be it. It won’t be close. Iowa State will actually get to rotate in deep on the travel roster in preparation for the game of the season.
Then the crème de la crème, Oklahoma in Norman. Vaunted as the best, they deserve it. They will be hard to beat, and in Norman no less. Our recent results in Norman have been pretty solid, though, and we haven’t played there with a team as talented as ours on both sides of the ball.
What I really like about this matchup? They play at Baylor the week prior, and although I think they put a hurt on Baylor, I like that our staff will have Baylor’s defense on tape that close to our game. Baylor will do some stuff on defense to exploit weaknesses in Oklahoma’s offense. Iowa State will likely not use those if they don’t have to, but you can rest assured they will have something special dialed up if it is needed in that second half. I think Iowa State upsets Oklahoma in Norman.
Texas Christian University then travels to Ames on a short turn around to play what is likely the most confident and well-rounded team to ever hail from Ames. Iowa State would be one win away from a perfect season. Some might think the players lose sight and focus, but that is hard to believe when most of the roster was still here when the Cyclones were barely winning 7 games. These players won’t forget that. TCU will again comment that this is the best-coached team they’ve ever seen. They’ll have some flashes that will make Cyclone fans groan, but the scoreboard will still show a convincing victory for Iowa State at the end to cap a 12-0 season.
The Big 12 title game will be a rematch of Oklahoma and Iowa State. If the Iowa State defense didn’t pull any of those special tools from their kit they gleaned from watching Baylor, I expect they will pull them out now. Iowa State stands the best chance of any team in the last 6 years to unseat Oklahoma as the Big 12 Champs, and I think they will do it.
Now, that 8.5 over/under on Iowa State’s season looks suspiciously low. Even if I’m pumping too much sunshine, can you even find 3 losses on that schedule? Let’s say the Cyclones come up short in Norman, doesn’t that make it even harder for TCU to beat the Cyclones in Ames the following week?
All I know is that this Cyclone team was close last year, and according to everything I’m hearing, with those that returned, the entire program is bigger, faster, and stronger. Oklahoma might be the team to beat, but that just means the Cyclones have a target to aim at while they’re chopping down trees on the way. They also won’t be aiming for their 11th game against Oklahoma, though they’ll play to win. They want them in that 13th game.
This Cyclone team can most certainly win it all and be the first team in the Big 12 not names Oklahoma, to represent the conference in the College Football Playoff.
So put those cardinal colored glasses firmly on your faces and lets enjoy the heck out of the season!
