They could have a strong season.
Josh Pate Names Unexpected College Football Program He's High on This Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024 college football season was remarkable for several teams, but it was also tragic for others. These were the teams that came close to achieving something great but ultimately fell short.
The Iowa State Cyclones fit into this category. Last year, they came just one game away from reaching their first College Football Playoff. The Cyclones finished the season with an 11-3 record but lost 45-19 in the Big 12 Championship Game against the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Now, they hope to bounce back and correct that mistake. On "Josh Pate's College Football Show," the analyst said he believes the Cyclones will have an equally good or even better season this year.
"They went 10-2 last year [in the regular season]," Pate said. "There's not a bone in my body that's going to publicly state that Iowa State will be worse than that this year. I don't care what you put in front of me. I will plug my ears with both index fingers and shout 'la la la, I can't hear you' as long as it takes or until I lose my voice."
Pate expressed that he is a big fan of quarterback Rocco Becht, who threw for 3,505 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season. He also highlighted the continuity that has been present at Iowa State over the years, noting that head coach Matt Campbell, offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser and defensive coordinator Jon Heacock are all still with the team.
Pate also mentioned that he believes the Cyclones have a manageable schedule this season. However, Athlon Sports' Kyle Wood disagrees, ranking it as the third toughest in the Big 12. Wood points out that the season kicks off with "Farmageddon," when the Cyclones will face the Kansas State Wildcats in a Week Zero game in Ireland.
Two weeks later, the Iowa Hawkeyes will travel to Ames for the annual Cy-Hawk showdown. Wood mentions that Iowa State’s only true road game before October will be against Arkansas State, where they are set to compete in the second leg of a home-and-home series with the Red Wolves.
Conference play resumes for Matt Campbell’s squad with games against the Arizona Wildcats and the Cincinnati Bearcats, both of which were among the weakest teams in the Big 12 last season. However, the Cyclones face a challenging four-game stretch toward the end of the season, including a game at the Colorado Buffaloes, a home game against the BYU Cougars, another home game against the Arizona State Sun Devils and a game at the TCU Horned Frogs.
That stretch could determine the success of the season for Campbell and his team. Iowa State is scheduled to face Kansas State at noon ET on Aug. 23.
Related: Greg McElroy Warns Big 12 Programs as He Makes Stance Clear on Deion Sanders’ Colorado
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
