AMES, Iowa – No. No. 9 Iowa State looks to match its best start in school history when it hosts UCF Saturday night at Jack Trice Stadium in the first meeting between the teams. The last 7-0 start for the Cyclones came in 1938, while ISU also looks to go 4-0 in conference play for the first time in program history.

WHO: No. 9 Iowa State (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) vs. UCF (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)

Where: Central American Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium (61,500) – Ames, Iowa

When: Saturday, October 19, 2024 – 6:30 PM CT

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The links

WATCH: FS1

PxP: Trent Rush; Analyst: Spencer Tillman

LISTEN: Cyclone Radio Network – Varsity app, TuneIn Radio or radio partners

PxP: John Walters; Analyst: Eric Heft; Sideline: Ryan Harklau

LIVE STATISTICS
IOWA STATE GAME NOTES

GAME PROGRAM
FOOTBALL YEARBOOK 2024
MEDIA CENTER

WITHIN THE SERIES

First meeting

General: 0-0

At home: 0-0

Road: 0-0

Campbell vs. UCF: 0-0

Last meeting: –

GAME PROMOTIONS
Jack Trice Stadium will be rocking on Saturday night. Make sure you stay in your seat at halftime for the drone show!

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

NUMBER OF COMMENTS

3 – Jontez Williams has an interception in three-consecutive games. He leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth nationally in total interceptions (3).

5 – Kooper Ebel has led or co-led ISU in tackles in three of the last four games. He has a TFL in five-straight games.

11 – Rocco Becht has 11 passing plays of more than 50 yards since last season, tied for second nationally.

26 – The Cyclone Defense did that 26 interceptions since 2023, ranking second nationally during that period. Individual, Jeremiah Kuiper has seven, which as of 2023 ranks third in the country.

WINNING AT THE MARGIN
Coach Matt Campbell constantly preaches winning at the margins and taking care of the details. Well, this season the Cyclones have done all the little things right.

• PENALTY: Iowa State is one of the least penalized teams in the country. The Cyclones rank second nationally and top the Big 12 in fewest penalty yards per game (27.7).
• TURNOVER: ISU has a turnover margin of +9, which leads the Big 12 and is No. 4 nationally. Looking at points outside of turnovers, Iowa State outscored its opponents 55-3.
• SPECIAL TEAMS: The Cyclones have been good on special teams this season. Iowa State won at Iowa on a game-winning field goal and has blocked two punts, one of which was returned for a touchdown. ISU is one of 10 teams in the nation with two blocked punts this season.
• NEGATIVE PLAYS: Iowa State has largely avoided major negative plays this season. ISU ranks second in the Big 12 and No. 10 nationally in sacks allowed (5).

SECOND HALF STOPPERS
Since the start of the 2021 season, ISU has allowed just 353 points in the second half of 44 games, an average of 8.0 points. This season, ISU is allowing just 4.3 points and 121 yards in the second half of games.

The Cyclones have allowed just 13 points in the fourth quarter of games, a single touchdown in a blowout win against Arkansas State and a late touchdown at West Virginia.

JAY SQUARE

Jaylin Noel And Jayden Higgins are one of the best-receiving duos in the country. Iowa State is one of three schools nationally, along with Ohio State and Washington, with two receivers with more than 500 yards receiving on the season.

Noel has a reception in 38 consecutive games, tied for the fourth-longest active streak nationally, while Higgins has scored a touchdown in seven of the last eight games and 11 of 19 as a Cyclone.

OTHER MAJOR STORYLINES

• Matt Campbell is 21-11 in October at ISU. The Cyclones are looking to complete a perfect October for the second straight season and the fourth time under his leadership.
• The Cyclones are bowl eligible for the seventh time in nine seasons under Campbell.
• The Cyclones improved to 6-0 for the first time since 1938 with a win against West Virginia last weekend. It was ISU’s sixth straight Big 12 road win and the Cyclones are now 11-3 in their last 14 games, including 7-1 in road games.
• The Iowa State defense, led by Jon Heacockleads the Big 12 and ranks fifth nationally, allowing just 11 points per game. The passing defense was stout, yielding just 145.7 yards per game (fifth nationally). Overall, ISU allows just 285.3 yards of total offense, ranking No. 15 nationally and top in the Big 12.
• Six different cyclones have combined for ten interceptions, making them among the top five in the country. Since the start of the 2023 season, ISU has 26 interceptions in 19 games, tied for second nationally in that span.
• Rocco Becht had one of the best games of his West Virginia career, completing 18 of 26 passes with one touchdown. He has a TD pass in 10 straight games, which is tied for the third-longest streak in school history.

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

To listen, CLICK HERE.

WEEKLY MEDIA AVAILABILITY

Matt Campbell, Jon Heacock, Rocco Becht, Jayden Higgins, J.R. Singleton And Beau Freyler spoke to the media on Tuesday. Watch their interviews below.