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USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
What Colorado fans need to know about the Iowa State Cyclones
After falling short last year, the Iowa State Cyclones have one thing on their mind: win the Big 12. However, Colorado stands in the way of that task. Heading into Week 7 of the season, the Buffs' hope to be in good shape offensively and defensively after tough matchups versus BYU and TCU. But the schedule does not get any easier with Iowa State coming to Boulder in what should be one of their most challenging games. The Cyclones are an experienced group returning 14 starters from last season. While it will still be early in conference play for both teams, this game could separate either team as contenders for the Big 12. The Cyclones and Buffs have a long history dating back to 1946, with this year's matchup being the two programs' 66th all-time meeting. The Buffaloes host the Cyclones at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado, for their fourth conference game and fifth home game of the season. Opponent Previews: Georgia Tech, Delaware, Houston, Wyoming, BYU, TCU 2024 in review Iowa State is coming off an unprecedented season where they went 11-3 with a win in the Pop-Tarts Bowl over Miami. Their conference schedule was on the easier side, with six of their nine conference opponents being in the bottom eight of the Big 12. However, when push came to shove, the Cyclones won their biggest games. ISU's biggest game of the season was a Week 12 matchup against Kansas State. The Cyclones' defense held the Wildcats' top-five offense to limited production in the second half and secured their first 10-win season in program history. Head coach profile The Cyclones are led by the winningest head coach in program history, Matt Campbell. He is the third-longest tenured head coach in the Big 12 and has helped build Iowa State into a winning program. Since 2016, he has had only two losing seasons and three bowl wins in seven appearances. Coming off his most successful season, can his teams remain consistent, and will he be able to propel himself as one of college football's top coaches? Top offensive player Rocco Becht had an impressive red-shirt sophomore campaign and can take an even bigger jump in 2025. He was third in the Big 12 in passing yards and fifth in touchdowns. He completed nearly 60% of his passes while passing for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns. Heading into this season, Becht is expected to spearhead the Cyclones' offense into another successful year. However, he lost his top two targets from last season, so it'll depend on other receivers to step up and make plays. Top defensive players It's challenging to select a single defensive player for Iowa State when they have three players who made the preseason All-Big 12 team. The Cyclones had a middle-of-the-pack defense in 2024; however, their pass defense was elite, thanks in part to the contributions of these two cornerbacks. Jeremiah Cooper and Jontez Williams each had successful 2024 seasons that earned them a spot on the All-Big 12 team. In 2024, Cooper was lockdown corner with a team-leading eight pass deflections, two interceptions and 48 tackles. Williams had a similar season with 46 tackles, but snagged a few more picks with four while still tallying five pass deflections. 2025 schedule Way-too-early Colorado matchup preview The Buffs and Cyclones, at this point in the 2025 season, should be must-watch television. While fans might expect a high-scoring matchup between Rocco Becht and Colorado's reconfigured offense, the game is likely to be a defensive slugfest. The Buffs' defense isn't likely to take a significant step back, and Iowa State's defense is solid and could lock down a Colorado offense still figuring things out. Ultimately, the Buffaloes' fate will depend on two things: can they get to the quarterback, and can they produce on offense? Iowa State has a strong offensive line with many returning starters that could stump Robert Livingston's aggressive play calling. This game is a toss-up. Contact/Follow us@BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Compelling Matchups To Kick Off The 2025 College Football Season
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - Quarterback Arch Manning of the Texas Longhorns in for a play during the Ohio ... More State Buckeyes versus Texas Longhorns College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Cotton Bowl Classic on January 10, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Believe it or not, less than two months remain until the 2025 college football season gets underway. A handful of Week 0 matchups includes a Big 12 clash in Dublin on the second Saturday in August. Among Week 1 games, there is at least one that could be a playoff preview. Here a handful of games that are among those to be of interest out of the gate. Saturday, August 23 Iowa State at Kansas State (Dublin) Farmageddon arrives early this year as the 109th edition of a rivalry that has been played continuously since in 1917 takes place in Ireland. The Wildcats lost three of their last four regular season games a year ago to finish 5-4 in the Big 12 and 9-4 overall in Avery Johnson's first season as the starting quarterback. One of the losses was the regular season finale against the Cyclones, who needed a victory to advance to the Big 12 championship game, which they lost to Arizona State. Quarterback Rocco Becht returns to Iowa State, which won a program record 11 games last season despite numerous injuries on defense. The Cyclones lead the series 54-50-4. Saturday, August 30 Texas at Ohio State These teams met in a CFP semifinal last season and very well could meet again in the postseason as both are expected to contend for a national title. In Austin, the offense belongs to Arch Manning. What a test it will be going up against the defending national champs and with four new starters on the offensive line. Led by linebacker Anthony Hill, UT is loaded on defense once again. The Buckeyes, who defeated the 'Horns, 28-14, prior to their national title win over Notre Dame, will likely have Julian Sayin at quarterback following Will Howard's lone season in Columbus. Sayin has a year in the system and Jeremiah Smith as a target, though only 12 career pass attempts. The teams have split four previous meetings. Alabama at Florida State If the Seminoles are to put last season's nightmare behind them, then this represents a wonderful opportunity to at least look like a far different team. Of course, Thomas Castellanos had nothing to do with a 2-10 mess, though he contributed to it by totaling three touchdowns in Boston College's 28-13 win in Tallahassee on Labor Day. He is now running Mike Norvell's offense. Ty Simpson takes over at quarterback for Jalen Milroe at Alabama, so he will be in the spotlight as well. Spotlight? Kalen DeBoer truly did outstanding work in keeping things together especially with the exodus of players following Nick Saban's retirement. Following a 9-4 season, it is now about returning to CFP and this is where it starts. The Tide leads the series 3-1-1. LSU at Clemson This will be the first regular season meeting between teams that have met four times in the postseason, including LSU's win in the 2019 national championship game. Clemson should be the ACC's heavyweight once again and make another playoff appearance. Cade Klubnik has developed into true Heisman contender and has plenty of established talent around him. Like Klubnik, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier is expected to be in the running for college football's top hardware. Unlike Klubnik, the second-year starter will have many new faces around him. Georgia Tech at Colorado With Heisman winner Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders in the NFL, Deion Sanders had a tremendous amount of production to replace on both sides of scrimmage. He reeled in quarterback Kaidon Salter, who totaled 77 touchdowns in four seasons (two as the starter) at Liberty. He will make his Buffaloes debut against a Georgia Tech team that has clearly improved in its two years under Brent Key and settled for 7-6 a year ago. Three of the Yellow Jackets' losses were to Louisville, Notre Dame and the unforgettable double-OT affair at Georgia. QB Haynes King returns behind a mostly veteran line. This will be the first meeting between the schools. Sunday, August 31 Notre Dame at Miami The first meeting since 2017 and only the fifth this century between the teams will mark the debut of former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck in a Miami uniform. It is the new faces on defense and a healthy Reuben Bain at end that could make the difference in the 'Canes making their way to the playoff. Meanwhile, the Irish are literally starting fresh at quarterback with Steve Angeli having transferred to Syracuse. Irish coach Marcus Freeman will go with redshirt sophomore Kenny Minchey (three career pass attempts) or redshirt freshman CJ Carr (zero), grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. In other words, keep an eye on a defense led by what should be a top-shelf line that will likely have to make a difference early in the schedule. The Irish lead the series 17-8-1. Monday, September 1 TCU at North Carolina The Horned Frogs opened 2024 in Boulder against Deion Sanders and Colorado. This year they open primetime Labor Day against 73-year-old Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels. In other new, fans in Chapel Hill will need a program to identify a team with new faces on half the roster. UNC has won all three meetings.
Fox Sports
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox Sports
Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot among 35 mascots to be added for 'College Football 26'
Real-life coaches aren't the only thing that will be debuting in EA Sports' "College Football 26." The Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot will also make its video game debut in "College Football 26," EA Sports announced Monday. The inclusion of the Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot in "College Football 26" was part of an announcement that the video game will have more unique game atmospheres, band covers and drumlines, new mascots, new touchdown celebrations and custom chants and celebrations. The Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot was the only bowl game mascot included in Monday's announcement, while Iowa, Iowa State and Texas Tech's mascots were among the 35 new mascots that will be added to the game. After Kellogg's gave Pop-Tarts naming rights to the bowl game formerly known as the Cheez-It Bowl in 2023, the Pop-Tarts Bowl has become one of the more popular non-College Football Playoff bowl games. One of the reasons for that is the postgame celebration, in which the MVP of the game gets to pick which mascot flavor will go into a toaster. Once the mascot goes through the toaster, players on the winning team get to eat the mascot. This past year, Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht sent the Cinnamon Roll Pop-Tarts mascot to the toaster following its win over Miami (Fla.). Kansas State also picked the Cinnamon Roll Pop-Tarts mascot to put in the toaster a year prior. It's unclear if the postgame celebration will be included in "College Football 26." Beyond the mascots, EA Sports unveiled images and videos of how different runouts for each team will look in "College Football 26." For Ohio State, the pregame drone show is included. Several teams will also have light shows included for their runouts in primetime games in "College Football 26," including Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Boston College and Notre Dame. For Tennessee, a "light-up T" will shine brightly and for Alabama, Bryant-Denny Stadium will light up in red. Oklahoma's Sooner Schooner runout is also among one of the iconic runouts that will be included in "College Football 26." South Carolina's Cockaboose will be in the game, too. "College Football 26" will be available for purchase on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on July 10. The game can also be preordered now through the EA Sports MVP bundle, which includes the deluxe versions of "College Football 26" and "Madden 26," granting three-day early access to both games. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily. recommended Get more from College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
USA Today
06-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Top 15 must-see Big 12 conference football games in 2025
Top 15 must-see Big 12 conference football games in 2025 The dog days of summer are here, which can only mean one thing: college football is almost back. With three months left before the opening of the season, the spring transfer portal is all but closed and rosters are finalized. So let's look ahead to the best games the Big 12 Conference has to offer in 2025. A few of the factors used to determine which games are the best were: ESPN's SP+, the venue, historic rivalries and the teams' matchup in 2024. This list will be in chronological order and focus purely on Big 12 conference play, with no out-of-conference games considered. One of the longest-standing rivalries in college football kicks off the season in Dublin, Ireland. Kansas State was the No. 1 team in the Big 12 based on ESPN's SP+ list released after spring practices. It will be tested early with an up-and-coming Iowa State team fresh off a loss in the Big 12 championship game. This duel will feature two of the conference's best quarterbacks, the Wildcats' Avery Johnson and the Cyclones' Rocco Becht. Although not technically a conference game, the two teams should be two of the best in the Big 12 and this game should show that. Week 4: Texas Tech at Utah The Red Raiders head to Rice-Eccles Stadium for the first time in a showdown between two of the Big 12's top contenders. Texas Tech's Behren Morton leads his team, fresh off its best season since 2022, into the intimidating home environment of a rebounding Utes squad. After struggling mightily last season, the Utes ranked No. 6 in the Big 12 by ESPN's SP+ post-spring and feature a rejuvenated core. This matchup will be the first true test for each team, and how they respond will be critical for the rest of their seasons. Week 5: BYU at Colorado While a game most Colorado fans would prefer to forget, the Buffaloes get their chance at revenge early in 2025. BYU looks to be the more promising team on paper, ranked No. 4 in the Big 12 by ESPN's SP+ and featuring talented returners such as linebacker Isaiah Glasker. The current unknowns of Colorado's roster add intrigue to this matchup, which will be played under the lights at Folsom Field and on ESPN. Week 6: Colorado at TCU Colorado's 2023 victory in Fort Worth thrust the Buffaloes into the national spotlight, thanks to Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter's miraculous debut. However, two years later, these two teams look entirely different, and this TCU team has the talent to compete for a Big 12 title. The Buffaloes face two significant tests back-to-back, with TCU slotted at No. 5 in the Big 12 by ESPN's SP+ rankings, there's certainly not a lack of interest here. The No. 10 Buffaloes will be tasked with another upset, but they've proven to like playing spoiler in Texas. Week 7: Arizona State at Utah An old Pac-12 series is renewed, taking us back to Rice-Eccles Stadium for the second time on this list. Utah is forced to run a brutal schedule in 2025. Luckily, it will get the new-look Arizona State team at home. The defending conference champion Sun Devils will have to rebuild their offense without bowling ball and star running back Cam Skattebo, but they have the talent to do it. This will be one of the most hostile environments Arizona State will face all season, revealing whether the Sun Devils have a chance to repeat in the Big 12. Week 8: Baylor at TCU First played in 1899, this showdown carries its weight in history alone and features two potential breakout teams in the Big 12. Baylor surged late last season, led by transfer quarterback Sawyer Robinson, and carries a top-25 offense into 2025, according to ESPN's SP+ rankings. TCU has a chance to reclaim the Bluebonnet Battle title after a heartbreaking three-point defeat in 2024. Two high-powered offenses are sure to deliver a shootout reminiscent of the old Big 12. Week 8: Utah at BYU After dominating the Holy War for nine years, Utah is in the midst of a two-year losing streak to its in-state rivals. A controversial penalty and game-winning 44-yard field goal from last season will weigh heavily on the Utes, bringing more animosity to this one. Two teams dead set on taking a wide-open conference with gasoline sprinkled on the rivalry's fire, this game should be pure cinema for every college football fan to enjoy. Week 9: Kansas State at Kansas The in-state rivalries continue, this time in Kansas for the Sunflower Showdown. The Wildcats have owned this game since 2009 and look to extend their winning streak to 17 over the Jayhawks. Kansas will need an almost perfect game from star quarterback Jalon Daniels if it wants to take down the expected top team in the conference. Ranked at No. 8 in the Big 12 by ESPN's SP+, Daniels and the Jayhawks will have a chance with home-field advantage to put an end to the Wildcats' reign of terror. Week 10: Arizona State at Iowa State The Cyclones play host to the Sun Devils, who decimated them in the conference championship game last season. This game is sure to contain a bundle of Big 12 implications. While Iowa State ranks No. 7 in the Big 12 to Arizona State's No. 2 in ESPN's SP+, Matt Campbell routinely gets his teams to outplay expectations. Another tough environment for the Sun Devils will test them. They play a majority of their games at home this season. Late November weather in the Midwest throws another wrench into a matchup filled with intrigue. Week 12: Utah at Baylor Utah's journey through their Big 12 schedule takes them to Waco, Texas, to face Baylor. The Bears are still in search of their first victory over the Utes in school history, and this game should have massive implications in the Big 12. While these two teams are similarly rated by ESPN's SP, though for completely different reasons. Utah brings a staunch defense, ranked No. 16 in the country, while Baylor will want to air it out with their offense. Week 12: Kansas State at Oklahoma State Oklahoma State is facing a nearly total rebuild of its roster, and it isn't projected to be very good this season. It is No. 12 in the Big 12 by ESPN's SP+ ranking. What makes this matchup interesting is Kansas State, a championship favorite, is facing a rowdy Boone Pickens Stadium crowd in Stillwater. Veteran coach Mike Gundy should be able to get his Cowboys up for what feels like a classic trap game for the Wildcats. Kansas State took care of business last season with a 20-point blowout, but road games late in the season are always tough. Week 14: Texas Tech at West Virginia The first of three Week 14 games to make this list sees the Mountaineers play host to a potential championship contender in the final week of the season. West Virginia might not be ready for a Big 12 title run, ranked No. 11 in the Big 12 by ESPN's SP+, but with a senior day crowd behind them, it's a potential upset. Texas Tech routed the Mountaineers last season, cooking up a 50-burger for their fans to enjoy, so while there's potential for an upset here, this might be the farthest reach on the list. Week 14: Arizona at Arizona State The Sun Devils destroyed the Wildcats in the 2024 Territorial Cup, so this is yet another upset pick in the final week of the season. Arizona isn't projected to do much in 2025 under coach Brent Brennan, falling to No. 14 in the Big 12 by ESPN's SP+, but it has talent on the roster. The Wildcats will need junior quarterback Noah Fifita to take a big jump if they want to capitalize on a Sun Devils team that will be walking into the final week of the season with plenty of battle scars. If Arizona State sleepwalks into this matchup thinking of their Big 12 championship hopes, there's potential for a great game. Week 14: Colorado at Kansas State In a matchup that proved to be a rock fight last season, the Buffaloes get another crack at a Wildcats team that will be near the top of the conference. The Buffaloes' newly revamped defense will have had time to settle in and potentially give Johnson's Wildcats some fits in a cold-weather game. Colorado's offense should have less trouble with the cold, leaning more on its running ability with either Kaidon Salter or Julian Lewis under center. The Buffs kept the Wildcats on the ropes last season without Hunter, and it's possible this game could have a trip to the Big 12 championship game on the line. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
13-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
On3's post-spring top 25 omits Iowa football among other big snubs
On3's post-spring top 25 omits Iowa football among other big snubs With college football heading into its short summer hibernation before fall training camp gets underway, the spring practices across the country have given fan bases a clearer picture of what may be in store for the 2025-26 season. A team that has been viewed on very different ends of the spectrum is the Iowa Hawkeyes. Some have Iowa firmly within their top 25 rankings, while others are sticking them on the outside looking in as a ranking snub. One outlet snubbing Iowa is On3. They have omitted Iowa from their post-spring top 25 rankings and do not have them as their group just outside, signifying minimal belief in Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes. On3 includes a bevvy of Big Ten programs making the cut. Those in the top 25 rankings include No. 1 Penn State, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 9 Oregon, No. 10 Illinois, and No. 18 Michigan. Last year's darling of the college football world, the Indiana Hoosiers, are the first team on the outside looking in, also joined by fellow Big Ten member, the Washington Huskies. One curious snub is Iowa's in-state rival, the Iowa State Cyclones. After rattling off 11 wins last year in a historic year for the program, the Cyclones find themselves unranked despite returning one of America's top quarterbacks, Rocco Becht. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald
