By Henry Rawn

10 3 2025

GAME NOTES

https://cyclones.com/documents/2025/9/30/Game6_Cincinnati_10-4-25.pdf

AMES, Iowa – No. 14 Iowa State puts its perfect record on the line as it hits the road to face Cincinnati in another key Big 12 matchup. The Cyclones have won seven of their last nine games away from home and can become the first team in college football to secure bowl eligibility.

Who: No. 14 Iowa State (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) at Cincinnati (3-1, 1-0 Big 12)
Where: Nippert Stadium (38,088) – Cincinnati, Ohio
When: Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 – 11 a.m. CT

The Links
WATCH: ESPN2
PxP: Roy Philpott; Analyst: Sam Acho; Sideline: Taylor Davis
LISTEN: Cyclone Radio Network – Varsity App, TuneIn Radio or Radio Affiliates
PxP: John Walters; Analyst: Eric Heft; Sideline: Ryan Harklau
GAME NOTES: ISU // UC
LIVE STATS
2025 FOOTBALL YEARBOOK

INSIDE THE SERIES
Third Meeting
Overall: 2-0
Home: 1-0
Road: 1-0
Neutral: 0-0
Campbell vs. UC: 3-1
Last Meeting: 11/16/24 (ISU 34, UC 17)

CYCLONES vs. BEARCATS
The Cyclones and and Bearcats are set to meet on the gridiron for the third time ever and the third-straight season. ISU won each of the first two meetings, including a 34-17 victory last season in a November showdown in Ames.

There are plenty of connections and mutual respect between the two staffs. Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell and Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield were on the offensive staff together at Toledo in 2009. Campbell was running game coordinator, while Satterfield was passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Bearcat defensive coordinator Tyson Veidt was a member of the Cyclone coaching staff from 2016-23 as associate head coach and linebackers coach. In total, he spent 10 seasons with Campbell, also serving on his Toledo staff in 2014-15. Additionally, UC assistant safeties coach Josh Runda was a quality control member of the ISU coaching staff from 2021-22.

TALKING TIGHT ENDS
Iowa State last visited Cincinnati in October 2023, a 30-10 victory over the Bearcats. The Cyclone tight ends were a major factor in the red zone with both Benjamin Brahmer and Stevo Klotz making touchdown catches in that game.

ISU will try to recreate that success in 2025 with one of the best tight end rooms in the nation. Brahmer and Burkle are two of Rocco Becht‘s favorite targets, combining for 28 catches and 306 yards on the season. Brahmer (3) and Burkle (1) have four touchdowns this season, all coming inside the red zone.

Offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser has shown that he loves to get his tight ends involved in the game, often putting up to four on the field at the same time. In addition to Brahmer and Burkle, Tyler Moore and Keaton Roskop factor in as key blockers in the run game. Against Arizona, Mouser went deep into his playbook, having Brahmer throw the ball. He found Brett Eskildsen on a 45-yard connection, the longest pass completion by a tight end in Big 12 history.

SOWELL BREAKS OUT
With opposing defenses keying in on stopping the tight ends, Becht has needed to get others involved. Last week against Arizona, it was East Carolina transfer Chase Sowell. The Humble, Texas native popped off for a career-high 146 receiving yards on just four catches (36.5 avg.).

Sowell now has 11 career receptions of 40-plus yards, including two as a Cyclone.

DEFENSE CLAMPING DOWN
Jon Heacock‘s defense held Arizona to just 14 points, well below its season scoring average. The Wildcats didn’t on the board until 0:22 remaining in the first half.

Iowa State is holding its 2025 opponents roughly 11.5 points below their season scoring average. All five of the Cyclones’ opponents have scored below their season average against ISU. Iowa State is allowing just 14.2 points per game and hasn’t allowed a fourth quarter touchdown since the season opener.

The Cyclones have trailed for just 0:28 this season, the fourth-least nationally and best among teams that have played at least five games.

SECOND-HALF SURGE
Iowa State has shown its ability to make adjustments at halftime and win games in the second half, and it starts at the line of scrimmage. The Cyclones average 4.3 yards per carry in the fourth quarter compared to opponents’ 1.6 yards per carry. Defensively, ISU has four sacks in the fourth quarter, while allowing just one.

Since the start of the 2021 season, ISU has allowed just 484 points in the second half of its 57 games, an average of 8.5 points. This season, that number is 30 total second-half points allowed in five games (6.0 avg.).

Becht has been a major factor in crunch time. In the fourth quarter of games, Becht is 18-for-27 (.667) passing for 243 yards. On fourth down, Becht is 14-of-16 (.875) passing in his career.

KEY STORYLINES

• Iowa State sits at No. 14 in this week’s AP poll and is inside the Top 15 for the second-straight season.
• ISU has started 5-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history. The Cyclones are one of nine teams that are 5-0 this season, while just seven teams have started perfect through five games in each of the last two seasons as of Sept. 27.
• The Cyclones are seeking their sixth win of the season which would make them bowl eligible in eight of Campbell’s 10 seasons. With ISU playing in the early TV window Saturday, a win would make the Cyclone the first bowl eligible team in the country.
• ISU is looking to start 6-0 for the second-straight season and just the third time in program history. The Cyclones have won nine of their last 11 Big 12 Conference regular season games.
• Campbell announced a pair of notable season-ending injuries last week to the Cyclone secondary. Cornerbacks Jeremiah Cooper and Jontez Williams will both miss the remainder of the season due to knee injuries.
• Linebackers Carson Willich and John Klosterman both made their return from injuries against Arizona. Willich finished with five tackles while Klosterman tallied one stop.
• Becht has tossed seven touchdowns with just two interceptions, while also rushing for five touchdowns, this season. He had a career-high three rushing touchdowns last week against Arizona.
• Carson Hansen rushed for two touchdowns against Arizona, his first two scores of the season. Hansen has six multi-rushing TD games in his career.
• Brett Eskildsen is averaging 21.6 yards per reception which ranks third in the Big 12 and No. 11 nationally. He has a 20-plus yard reception in four of five games this season.
• Tre Bell earned his first start as a Cyclone at cornerback against Arizona. Bell finished with four tackles, including a tackle for loss.
• Jamison Patton snared his second interception of the season against the Wildcats, tied for the third-most in the Big 12.

CYCAST WITH THE CYCLONE RADIO CREW
John Walters and Ryan Harklau sit down to preview Cincinnati ahead of this weekend’s game. The podcast is presented by Van Wall Equipment.

To listen, CLICK HERE.

COURTESY IOWA STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS