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Option #2: Matt Campbell, Iowa State Head Coach Campbell’s name was routinely mentioned in top Power There were reports that Campbell was a target of, and may have interviewed with, Washington for their Campbell’s coaching style fits with the Big Ten as he is a defensive coach who emphasizes the run and Four times in his career Campbell’s teams have won nine games at places where it is very difficult to The knock for Campbell will be that the Cyclones are 18-20 over the last three seasons.

by the rapport he built with coach Sherrone Moore and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell

Quarterback   New offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell , who is also the quarterbacks coach, will need If Moore and Campbell do not see what they were hoping for in spring practice, at the quarterback position only a new quarterback but also five new starting offensive linemen, will offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell

This position group returns four starters and will be led by All-Southeastern Conference tackles Will Campbell Campbell is a 2024 Walter Camp Preseason All-American.

run the ball with great success, we have been a really dynamic football team," Iowa State coach Matt Campbell group, you're talking two true freshmen a year ago ... we did pick up a veteran in Jaylon Jackson,"Campbell

The No. 9 Iowa State Cyclones (6-0, 3-0 Big 12 Conference) look to remain perfect and continue their quest toward the Big 12 title game when they welcome the underperforming UCF Knights (3-3, 1-2) to Jack Trice Stadium at 7:30 p.m. EST on Oct. 19. The Cyclones have had a miraculous season so far, but at the halfway point, the focus shifts from becoming bowl-eligible to continuing that quest for perfection. For the Knights, a fast 3-0 start quickly turned sour after three straight losses against beatable opponents. Can they right the ship against the Big 12's best? The Meaning of Perfection The Cyclones haven't even had a 10-win season in school history, let alone a perfect regular season. Getting ever closer to that with their seventh victory could mean they start getting taken seriously as a College Football Playoff contender. However, beating the Knights will not be easy, as they are brimming with talent on both sides of the ball and will be desperate for a get-back victory. Perfection in this year's Big 12 would be a massive statement but it is much easier said than done. Key Players: Iowa State Cyclones The Cyclones have a full-fledged arsenal on offense, but a big reason they're perfect is due to their defense, which ranks top 15 in the entire country in multiple categories. This UCF squad will have a lot to throw at them as well, but these players in particular are the ones UCF will have trouble with. Rocco Becht, Quarterback Becht and his stellar squad of receivers could have a field day against the UCF secondary, which ranks No. 102 in the FBS and allows 246 yards passing per game on average. Against the throwing talents of Becht and his duo of Biletnikoff Award-worthy receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, this is a game the Cyclones should air it out early and often. Kooper Ebel, Linebacker The Knights average just 205 yards passing a game, ranking them No. 90 in the FBS. Forcing the Knights to pass into this strong secondary led by Jeremiah Cooper and Beau Freyler by subduing their stacked backfield is how the Cyclones beat this team. No players is equipped better to do that than sophomore linebacker Ebel, who has 39 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and a sack on the year. Key Players: UCF Knights The Knights are desperate to stay above .500 and to keep their bowl aspirations alive. Winning against the top of the conference will be a major confidence booster that will hopefully carry them into the postseason. Here are the players that can make that happen. RJ Harvey, Running Back Iowa State's run defense allows 139.7 yards per game, placing them No. 63 in the FBS. Against a back like Harvey and the stable of running backs the Knights have, that could have some major potential to break the game open in favor of the Knights. Get the run game going early and often and the Knights give themselves the best chance at victory. Lee Hunter, Defensive Tackle Beating the Cyclones' passing game with this secondary will be an extremely tall task. This is why pressure on the quarterback will be massive. Hunter can do that, but to this point has had a quiet season with zero sacks and just 2 tackles for loss. The Knights will need a big game from their star defensive lineman, otherwise, this could be a long day if Becht is allowed a clean pocket. The Role of Spoiler If the Knights play the best game they've played this season, they have a shot at winning a game in Jack Trice at night against the Cyclones. It will require their best game, though, as the way the Cyclones are playing as well as the lore behind night games at Jack Trice Stadium is working against their favor. There likely won't be any surprises here, but the Knights could play the role of spoiler if they force mistakes, play their best game on both sides of the ball, open up Harvey and their run game and come up with a few lucky bounces. It is the Big 12, after all. Chaos is in its nature. However, it should be a perfect storm for the Cyclones come Saturday night. Iowa State wins handily 31-17. Broadcast, Betting Information Time: 7:30 pm EST Date: Oct. 10 Location: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa TV: Fox Sports 1 Line: Iowa State -14 Over/Under: 49.5

Becht has developed nicely, as coach Matt Campbell put it at Big 12 Media Days: "You look at the receiver Audio of Campbell's remarks can be accessed here . Campbell sung the praises of this running back room during his media day press conference.

Key Matchup for the Game Amare Campbell vs. Campbell has been everywhere for the Tar Heels. Campbell seems like the likely candidate to act as a mirror for minimizing King's effectiveness Broadcast

The Iowa State Cyclones are coming off a surprisingly decent season after being picked to finish near the bottom of the Big 12 Conference in 2023. Young talent shined in multiple different ways and showed just how much depth the Cyclones will have for years to come.  This season, their preseason ranking has improved as they are picked to finish No. 6 in the preseason poll. Some believe that Iowa State could be a dark horse to finish as Big 12 champions. One of many wild-card teams in the conference, this season’s success hinges on different things. Iowa State Offense The Iowa State offense is one of the better units in the Big 12. It has an experienced offensive line. The Cyclones also have a talented receiving corps led by seniors Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Iowa State has an up-and-coming running back in Abu Sama III along with a young, upstart quarterback eyeing to have another big year in Rocco Becht . Iowa State’s offense finished No. 79 in total offense last year. Its running back room could not stay healthy. The running backs also could not produce like in earlier seasons when Breece Hall and David Montgomery were around. But Sama made a name for himself, finishing out the regular season with a monstrous performance against the Kansas State Wildcats. He had 16 carries for 276 yards (17.3 yards/carry) and 3 touchdowns. Sama is on 2024’s Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List, which shows just how much potential he has as a sophomore. Iowa State has no shortage of superb sophomores. Starting quarterback Becht showed flashes of a very bright future. Becht finished with 3,120 yards passing, 63 yards rushing and 26 total touchdowns as a redshirt freshman. Becht, the son of St. Louis Battlehawks head coach and former NFL tight end Anthony Becht, has been around the game a while. He has a knowledge base unseen in a lot of underclassmen quarterbacks. It shows up in his play and his leadership, which is why Iowa State had a solid season. Becht's play will dictate how the Cyclones finish in games this year, but he will have a lot of help. Iowa State’s receiving corps has the experience and skill to be an elite unit nationally this season. The Cyclones have stellar NFL-caliber receivers in Higgins and Noel. Their tight ends, led by Benjamin Brahmer, are set to be one of the better units in the Big 12. It's all due to their athletes and their experience. Iowa State finished in the top 50 in passing offense and receiving yards per game. Given that they return essentially their entire core, that number is almost certain to go up. The Cyclones have strong offensive weapons. But so do other contenders in the Big 12. Under new offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, will Iowa State keep the momentum going? Take note. Their defensive unit also will play a large part in their potential success. Iowa State Defense Iowa State’s defense returns nine starters. Its strength in experience does not stop with the players. Defensive coordinator Joe Heacock enters his eighth year. He has 39 total years of coaching experience. Heacock leads a unit that has been successful during his tenure at Iowa State. Expectations remain high, so the Cyclones' defense is set to have another big year. Starting with the secondary, the Cyclones totaled 16 interceptions in 2023, tying for No. 13 in the nation. Jim Thorpe and Bednarik Watch List member Jeremiah Cooper returns this season. He is paired with fellow junior safety Malik Verdon, who is also set to have a big year.  The secondary's big loss happened in losing All-American cornerback TJ Tampa . Now, young up-and-comers Jontez Williams and Darien Porter will have to fill his shoes. The secondary unit likely will be the strength of the Cyclones' defense. If they can keep from preventing the big play, then look for it to be a leader as best secondary in the conference. As for the front seven, they struggled to find their footing last year. After losing stud defensive lineman Will McDonald IV , the Cyclones' pass rush took a step back. It only totaled 21 sacks and placed a measly No. 109 in the FBS rankings.  After that learning experience along with returning starters, that unit hopefully takes a step up. The Cyclones added Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks transfer Kenard Snyder to bolster their line. They also will have veterans like Dominique Orange and Joey Petersen taking the reins. The linebacking corps had youth and inexperience, but was strong in defending the run. Iowa State allowed 134.2 yards per game and placed No. 37 in the FBS. This year, the Cyclones' linebacking corps has depth and a solid rotation, led by Caleb Bacon and Kooper Ebel. The run defense will be strong once again this season. Getting the pass rush going once again would make a huge difference for this defense. This is a point that Heacock and the Cyclones' defenders know about all too well. In Conclusion Iowa State is set to be good for a long time, including this season with its young talent. Even with a solid season, it was still a major learning experience last year. This is especially after losing its bowl game against the Memphis Tigers in tough fashion. The Cyclones will look to bounce back better than ever and have the ability to do so.  How much better can Iowa State be compared to the Big 12's fierce competition? The Big 12 will be better top to bottom this year and every game will be contested. Iowa State may just have the seventh-strongest schedule in the conference. As tight as the Big 12 is this season, that means little. The Cyclones will need to play their best for any shot at making the title game in December.  They have every opportunity to do so. While Iowa State might not surprise anyone like it did last year, its experience and talent will pay major dividends. Winning the Big 12 will be tough, but it will be possible especially if this Iowa State team lives up to their potential. Iowa State is picked to finish toward the upper middle of the Big 12. Don't expect them to be lower than that. Should everything go their way, the Cyclones could easily be at the top when all is said and done. Record: 9-3 (6-3 Big 12)

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. Broadcast and Betting Information Date: Oct. 12 Time: 8 p.m. EST Location: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, W.Va TV: FOX Line: Iowa State -3.0 Over/Under: 53.5