AMES, Iowa – No. No. 11 Iowa State looks to extend its five-game Big 12 winning streak when it travels to Morgantown to take on West Virginia on Saturday night. The Cyclones are 5-0 for the first time since 1980 and would improve to 6-0 for the second time in school history with a win.

WHO: No. 11 Iowa State (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) at West Virginia (3-2, 2-0 Big 12)

Where: Milan Puskar Stadium (60,000) – Morgantown, W.Va.

When: Saturday, October 12, 2024 – 7:00 PM (CT)

The links

WATCH: FOX

PxP: Tim Brando; Analyst: Devin Gardner; Sideline: Josh Sims

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
FOOTBALL YEARBOOK 2024
MEDIA CENTER

WITHIN THE SERIES

12th meeting

General: 5-6

At home: 3-3

Road: 2-3

Campbell vs. West Virginia: 4-3

Last meeting: 5-11-22 | ISU 31, WVU 14

NUMBER OF COMMENTS

2 – Iowa State is one of 10 national teams two blocked kicks this season. It’s the first time since 2008 that the Cyclones have blocked two punts in a season.

7 – Jayden Higgins caught a touchdown pass seven-consecutive games, the nation’s longest active streak and a school record.

8 – The Cyclone defense is ranked No. 8 nationally and tops the Big 12 with eight interceptions on the season. Three Cyclones – Darien Porter, Jeremiah Kuiper And Jontez Williams – have two interceptions per year.

30 -Iowa State scored 30-pluses in the last five meetings with West Virginia. The Cyclones are averaging 29.6 points per game against the Mountaineers in the Matt Campbell era.

ROAD WARRIORS
Iowa State has won five straight Big 12 games, and six of its last seven overall, away from home.

HEACOCK’S DEFENSE
The Iowa State defense, led by Jon Heacockleads the Big 12 and ranks sixth nationally, allowing just 10 points per game. The passing defense was stout, yielding just 133.6 yards per game (fifth nationally). Overall, ISU is allowing just 271.6 yards of total offense, 13th nationally and top in the Big 12.

The longer the game goes on, the better the defense becomes. In the second half of games, ISU gives up just 4.0 points and 112.0 yards, and in the fourth quarter, opponents average 1.4 points.

Iowa State has a turnover margin of +7, which is among the top 10 in the country. The Cyclones had 16 interceptions last season and already have eight in 2024, for a total of 24 picks in the last 18 games.

BIG PLAYS AND FAST STROKES
Iowa State’s offense has the ability to score anytime, anywhere on the field. Since 2023, the Cyclones have run 17 plays of 50 yards or more, including six this season. The ISU offense also had 12 sub-1:00 scoring drives in that span, four of which occurred this season.

Rocco Becht has a 50-yard pass in six of his last nine games, while Abu Sama has six career rushing touchdowns of more than 50 yards.

Run back Jaylon Jackson has a 50-yard rush in back-to-back games against Houston and West Virginia.

OTHER MAJOR STORYLINES

• Iowa State is 5-0 with a chance to start 6-0 for the first time since 1938. ISU’s last 3-0 record for Big 12 play came in 2020. Matt Campbell is 20-11 in October at ISU, including a 3-0 mark in 2023.
• The Cyclones maintained their impeccable record last weekend with a 43-21 victory against Baylor. ISU trailed 14-3 in the second quarter, but outscored the Bears 40-7 the rest of the way while amassing 542 total yards of offense.
• ISU had nine plays of 20 or more yards against the Bears, the most of which a Power-4 team tied with a conference foe this season.
• Rocco Becht has a TD pass in nine straight games after throwing two against Baylor, which is the fifth-longest streak in school history.
• Becht’s favorite tandem – Jayden Higgins And Jaylin Noel – has made it clear that they are one of the best duos in the country. Higgins extended his streak with a touchdown reception to straight seventh-best games, breaking the school record and the nation’s active leader, while Noel has two 100-yard games and a pair of scores this season. Against Baylor, the pair combined for 13 receptions for 214 yards and Higgins’ score.

CYCLING WITH THE CYCLONE RADIO CREW
John Walters, Eric Heft and Ryan Harklau sit down to preview an important road race at Iowa State in West Virginia. The podcast is presented by Van Wall Equipment.

To listen, CLICK HERE.

WEEKLY MEDIA AVAILABILITY

Matt Campbell, Taylor Mouser, Jaylin Noel, Jalen Travis, Benjamin Brahmer And Jontez Williams spoke to the media on Tuesday. Watch their interviews below.