6 days ago3 min read

No. 12 Iowa State: Perfection on the Line Versus Mountaineers

The No. 12 Iowa State Cyclones (5-0, 2-0 Big 12 Conference) visit the West Virginia Mountaineers (3-2, 2-0 Big 12) at 8 p.m. EST on Oct. 12 in Morgantown, W.Va. This is a matchup that sees two hot offenses set to go toe-to-toe. Look for this game to be a vintage Big 12 shootout.

Mountaineers Back on Track?

The Mountaineers look to run their win streak to three, getting them back in the saddle of being a Big 12 contender. A win against the Big 12’s current best team shoots them right back into that conversation.

It will not be easy, though, as the Cyclones will be the toughest team the Mountaineers have faced since

going up against the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0). Seeing that the Mountaineers came out on the

wrong end of a 34-12 beatdown in that game, they will want to prove they can beat a ranked team. The

Cyclones will have all the Mountaineers can handle as the latter looks to get back on track, while the

former looks to extend their win streak into the coveted 6-0 territory.

Key Players: Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa State has a strong, high-powered offense that will give an up-and-coming West Virginia defense a

run for their money. However, don’t sell their defense short either as the Cyclones have the No. 13

defense in the land.

Rocco Becht, Quarterback

Rocco Becht has been impressive in just his second year on the job. Becht has 1,173 yards passing and 9

touchdowns six games in and the No. 29 QBR in the nation. Against a Mountaineer pass defense that

ranks No. 99 and allows 243.4 passing yards a game, it’s prime pickings for Becht and his stacked group

of receivers.

Beau Freyler, Safety/Linebacker

Beau Freyler serves as the safety/linebacker hybrid for the Cyclone defense. Last season’s tackling leader

and this year’s third-most so far, Freyler will be the guy that makes sure the vaunted West Virginia run

game doesn’t get going. Freyler is also a presence in the passing game as well, having 3 deflections and an

interception while pairing nicely with safety Jeremiah Cooper.

Key Players: West Virginia Mountaineers

The Mountaineers will have their hands full trying to get the passing game going, which makes their strong

run game all the more important. Defensively, a balanced Cyclone attack will test this defense that is

just getting back into form after some early poor performances.

CJ Donaldson Jr., Running Back

CJ Donaldson Jr. is the lead back in a three-part rushing attack that will prove to be invaluable for the

Mountaineers here. Donaldson has 361 yards and 5 touchdowns so far this season, while his

counterpart, Jahiem White, has 352 yards and 4 touchdowns.

The Cyclone run defense is the weak link on this defense, ranking No. 68 in the nation while still allowing

138 yards a game. Donaldson and White will need to be on their "A" game as will running quarterback Garrett Greene.

Josiah Trotter, Linebacker

Josiah Trotter is the defensive lead for the Mountaineers as just a redshirt freshman. Trotter can do it

all, from pass coverage to run defense and sacking the quarterback. That will play an imperative part to this

defense’s success against a balanced Iowa State attack. Trotter has 34 total tackles, 1 sack, 2 pass

deflections and an interception so far this season.

Cyclones’ Perfection Pursuit

This will be decided on which defense can hold their water the best. This Cyclone offense will likely test

the West Virginia coverage as much as they can while having running back Abu Sama and Co. in

their back pocket. The Mountaineers will hammer the run game in hopes of making that strong

pass defense cheat up to open something downfield.

Overall, this will serve as a key point in the Cyclones’ season whether they win or lose. If they win, they

give themselves a great chance at a potential 10-plus win season or even a perfect regular season, which would be a program first. Should they lose, though, the wheels just might fall off.

It will be close, but the Cyclones should be able to continue their winning ways. A 38-35 shootout in the

Cyclones’ favor is what is predicted to be in store.