After losing three games in a row, the Iowa State Cyclones travel to Austin to try to get their season back on track.
Iowa State Cyclones (3-3) at #22 Texas Longhorns
@ Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas
How to Watch:
- Date: Saturday, October 15th
- Time: 12:00 ET
- Channel: ABC
Betting Stats:
- Spread: UT -16.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 49.5 (-110)
Matchup:
With the college football regular season halfway over, Iowa State is traveling to Austin, Texas, on Saturday in search of its first Big 12 win.
The Cyclones started Big 12 play 0-3 for the first time in Matt Cambell’s tenure as head coach. Each of those losses was decided by 11 total points, which is the first time since 1955 that the Cyclones dropped three-straight games by one score.
Iowa State is currently on a three-game winning streak against Texas, coming out with a dominating 30-7 victory last season in Ames, Iowa. The Cyclones will have a tough task ahead, as wins in Austin are much harder to come by. Iowa State has only beaten Texas twice on the road, and only once in the last 10 years.
Iowa State’s offense seems to be raising questions about whether or not it can produce against elite opponents. In the last two outings, the Cyclones struggled on offense, scoring 11 or fewer points. In games that are decided by just a field goal, the Cyclones need to figure out how to move the ball against lockdown defenses.
Texas is fresh off a dominant defensive performance against Oklahoma, where they shut out the Sooners 49-0. Oklahoma struggled to get the ball moving all day, and Iowa State could face similar challenges.
Texas isn’t just dominant on defense, as the offense had no issues putting points on the board. The Longhorns seemed to have no issue moving the ball with quarterback Quinn Ewers back, passing for four touchdowns on the day. The Texas offense will be a tough test for the Iowa State defense, which will come into the game ranked first in the Big 12.
Iowa State has locked down most of its opponents this season, allowing the least total yards and least points in the Big 12. Iowa State put its top run defense on display in the last two games, keeping both Kansas and Kansas State quiet. Both teams entered the games with plenty of momentum, but couldn’t put up more than two scores against the suffocating Iowa State defense.
Texas has scored a rushing touchdown in each of the first six games, so Saturday should be an example of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. Texas leads the overall series with Iowa State 14-5. However, Campbell changed the tides of the series, as the Cyclones will enter Saturday’s matchup tied with Texas 3-3 in the Campbell era.
Players to Know:
Anthony Johnson Jr. – Iowa State, S
2022 season stats: 28 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble
The seasoned Iowa State defender has settled into his new role as a safety after making the move from cornerback over the offseason. Through the first six games of the year, Johnson has been lighting up offenses from all over the field. He uses his experience to help himself make plays and lead others to similar success.
Johnson shined in the loss to Kansas State, where the Cyclones only allowed 10 points. Johnson made a maximum effort play at the one-yard line by forcing a fumble on a Kansas State receiver who had a walk-in touchdown. His ability to make big plays will need to be on full display against Texas if the Cyclones want to have another elite defensive performance.
Will McDonald IV – Iowa State, DE
2022 season stats: 3.5 sacks, 15 total tackles, two passes defended
McDonald might not be filling out the stat sheet, but Campbell made it clear to everyone that the defensive end has been electric on film. McDonald is coming off a two-sack outing against Kansas State, where he moved up to the No. 3 spot on the Big 12 career sack list. With just two sacks until he takes the top spot, McDonald is more motivated than ever to leave his mark on the college football world.
Expect McDonald to have another dominant day against Texas, as he’s been disruptive in the passing game and the run game. With how strong the Texas offense looks, McDonald will have to lock in to give the Cyclone defense a shot at coming out on top.
2022 season stats: 648 passing yards, six touchdowns, two interceptions
Ewers hit the football field for the first time this season since an injury took him out in the loss to Alabama. His return was explosive. The Longhorns cruised to victory over Oklahoma in a 49-0 shutout, where Ewers threw for four touchdowns on the day.
Ewers was expected to be incredible coming out of high school, and so far he’s been living up to the hype. It begs the question, would the Longhorns have taken down the No. 1 team in the nation in Alabama if Ewers was at the helm? Who’s to say? Going forward, the Cyclones have a tough task ahead of them, as Ewers and company are going to look for another dominant performance.
2022 season stats: 645 yards, 10 touchdowns, 5.9 yards per carry
Robinson has cemented himself as one of the best running backs in the nation over the first half of the season. His yards put him in the top 10 of all running backs, and his 10 touchdowns are tied for third-most. It’s clear that the Longhorns have no issues attacking the ground and Robinson should get fed a lot of attempts against the Cyclones.
The task for the Cyclones will be to keep Robinson out of the end zone, which no team has been successful in this season. Iowa State still leads the Big 12 in most defense categories, including rushing defense, and is coming off a win where the defense locked down an explosive Kansas State run game. Robinson has the talent to cause the Cyclones problems and will be a player to keep an eye on.
Key Injuries:
- Colby Reeder, Iowa State linebacker: Knee injury. Questionable for Saturday.
For more College football coverage, like this Iowa State preview, visit amNYSports.com
