By Cord Rankin

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State returns home to host Cincinnati in another key Big 12 matchup under the lights at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones are 4-0 in night games this season, including 2-0 at home.

Who: Iowa State (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) vs. Cincinnati (5-4, 3-3 Big 12)
Where: MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium (61,500) – Ames, Iowa
When: Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 – 7 p.m. CT
PURCHASE TICKETS | PURCHASE PARKING

The Links
WATCH: FOX
PxP: Tim Brando; Analyst: Devin Gardner; Sideline: Josh Sims
LISTEN: Cyclone Radio Network – Varsity App, TuneIn Radio or Radio Affiliates
PxP: John Walters; Analyst: Eric Heft; Sideline: Ryan Harklau
LIVE STATS
IOWA STATE GAME NOTES
2024 FOOTBALL YEARBOOK

INSIDE THE SERIES
Second Meeting
Overall: 1-0
Home: 0-0
Road: 1-0
Campbell vs. UC: 2-1
Last Meeting: 10/14/23 (ISU 30, UC 10)

50 SEASONS AT JACK TRICE STADIUM
Iowa State’s is in its 50^th season of play at Jack Trice Stadium. Learn more about the stadium’s history by clicking here.

NUMBERS OF NOTE
14 – The Iowa State defense has 14 interceptions this season, the sixth-most nationally.

19 – ISU has given up just 19 passing plays of 20-plus yards this season, ranking among FBS’ Top 10.

39 – Rocco Becht has 39 career touchdown passes, already the sixth-most in school history.

41 – Jaylin Noel has a reception in 41 consecutive games, tied for the fourth-longest active streak nationally.

BIG PLAY ABILITY
Iowa State’s offense has the ability to strike from anywhere on the field. The Cyclones have 13 plays of 40-plus yards this season, eight of which have been passes to star wide receiver Jaylin Noel. Since 2023, Noel has eight plays of 50-plus yards, the most on the team in that time frame.

BECHT PASSES PURDY
Rocco Becht has thrown a TD pass in 13-straight games, breaking Brock Purdy’s school record for consecutive games with a passing TD.

Becht is 421 yards shy of becoming just the fifth QB in school history to pass for 6,000 career yards. Becht completed a season-high 24 passes against Kansas for 383 yards, the second-best total in his career.

SECOND-HALF STOPPERS
Since the start of the 2021 season, ISU has allowed just 394 points in the second half of its 47 games, an average of 8.4 points. This season, ISU is allowing just 7.4 points and 139.1 yards in the second half of games.

The Cyclones have allowed just 33 points in the fourth quarter of games, including a single touchdown in a blowout win at Arkansas State, a late TD against WVU, a 1-yard drive against UCF and a pick-6 against Kansas.

OTHER KEY STORYLINES

• Iowa State enters Saturday night’s game having dropped two-straight after matching the best start to a season in school history. At 7-2 overall, ISU looks to get to eight wins for the fourth time under Matt Campbell.
• The Cyclones are bowl eligible for the seventh time in nine seasons under Campbell.
• Rocco Becht has one of the best wide receiving duos in college football at his disposal in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. ISU has had a 100-yard receiver in a school-record tying five-straight games thanks to the pair. Against KU, Higgins and Noel combined for 15 receptions, 255 yards and two Noel TDs. It was the seventh time in nine games they combined for at least 10 catches, 175 yards and a score, the most nationally by a set of teammates.
• First-year offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser has the offense clicking. ISU is averaging 31.1 points (fifth-most in school history), 439.6 yards (T-2nd most) and 6.3 yards per play (T-3rd most). With Becht finding Higgins and Noel at a record clip, ISU is averaging 271.4 passing yards (third most).
• ISU’s defense, under Jon Heacock‘s direction, is second in the Big 12 and ranks 19th nationally allowing just 18.8 points per game. its passing defense has been stout, yielding just 163.1 yards per game (8th nationally).
• The Cyclone defense has a +8 turnover margin, which ranks among the top 20 nationally. Seven different Cyclones have combined for 14 interceptions to rank among the nation’s top 10. Since the start of the 2023 season, ISU has 30 interceptions in 22 games, the second-most nationally in that span.

CYCAST WITH THE CYCLONE RADIO CREW
John Walters, Eric Heft and Ryan Harklau sit down to preview Iowa State’s matchup against Cincinnati. The podcast is presented by Van Wall Equipment.

To listen, CLICK HERE.

COURTESY IOWA STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS