- Nickname: Cyclones
- Location: Ames, Iowa
- Enrollment: 30,177
- Home field: Jack Trice Stadium (Capacity: 61,500)
- Conference: Big 12
- 2023 record: 7-6, 6-3 Big 12
- All-time series record vs. UCF: First meeting
Editor's note: This is the seventh installment in a 12-part series highlighting UCF's 2024 football opponents.
Rocked by a preseason sports betting scandal, and stunned in mid-September in a dismal outing at Ohio, Iowa State could have easily collapsed during the 2023 football season. Instead, the Cyclones — missing their projected starters at quarterback and running back — completed a huge turnaround in Big 12 conference play and went bowling.
What a difference a year makes as Iowa State now enters as a popular dark horse pick to win the realigned league.
The Cyclones checked in sixth in the Big 12's preseason media poll and got a relatively favorable scheduling draw for the first two months of the season, including an Oct. 19 home date with UCF. Iowa State returns 90% of its offensive production from 2023 and 80% of its defensive production, both top-five marks among the Football Bowl Subdivision's 134 teams according to ESPN.
"We all know talent is never enough," Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said last week.
If the Cyclones consistently get the most of that talent, though, there is reason to believe they can book a return to Arlington after a four-year absence. With Oklahoma and Texas officially SEC members, the competition for the league title and its automatic berth into the College Football Playoff is wide open.
UCF opponent previews:Longtime rivalry with Cincinnati intensifies via transfer portal
Matt Campbell begins 9th season as Iowa State head coach
For several spins of the coaching carousel, Campbell was linked to a number of high-profile job vacancies — collegiate blue-bloods and NFL franchises alike.
The 44-year-old reportedly declined interest from the New York Jets in 2018 and was the subject of a rumored eight-year contract offer from the Detroit Lions in 2021, a report later refuted by the Detroit Free Press. Links persisted with Nebraska, Notre Dame, USC, Washington and TCU, among others, but amounted to nothing.
Instead, Campbell has stuck with Iowa State through the ups and downs. He enters his ninth year with a 53-48 record, leading the Cyclones to their first New Year's Six Bowl victory over Oregon in the 2021 Fiesta Bowl.
Prior to his time in Ames, Campbell — a native of Massillon, Ohio — went 35-15 in five seasons at Toledo, with three separate nine-win campaigns.
Rocco Becht, Abu Sama III set for starring roles as sophom*ores
Top Offensive Returners: QB Rocco Becht, OL Brendan Black, OL Jim Bonifas, TE Benjamin Brahmer, WR Jayden Higgins, OL Jarrod Hufford, WR Daniel Jackson, TE Stevo Klotz, OL Tyler Miller, OL James Neal, WR Jaylin Noel, RB Abu Sama III
Top Defensive Returners: LB Caleb Bacon, DB Jeremiah Cooper, EDGE Ikenna Ezeogu, DB Beau Freyler, EDGE Trent Jones II, LB Will McLaughlin, DL Domonique Orange, EDGE Tyler Onyedim, EDGE Joey Petersen, DB Myles Purchase, LB Jack Sadowsky V, DL J.R. Singleton, DB Malik Verdon
It might not yet have the same sizzle as when Brock Purdy and Breece Hall shared the backfield for Iowa State, but second-year starters Rocco Becht and Abu Sama III are shaping into quite the dynamic duo.
Becht, a Wesley Chapel native and the son of former New York Jets tight end Anthony Becht, earned Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors after starting all 13 games and throwing for 3,120 yards and 23 touchdowns. Sama ran wild in November, including a legendary performance in the snow at Kansas State in which he became the second FBS player since 1996 to rush for three touchdowns of at least 60 yards against a ranked opponent.
Iowa State's top three four receivers are back, highlighted by All-Big 12 second-team selection Jaylin Noel (66 receptions, 820 yards, seven touchdowns). Jayden Higgins paced the Cyclones at 18.6 yards per reception with six TDs, and tight end Benjamin Brahmer hauled in 28 receptions for 352 yards and a couple of scores as a true freshman.
The Cyclones have one of the deepest groups of safeties in the nation. Beau Freyler led the team in tackling (107) and added three picks, Jeremiah Cooper gained all-conference recognition after snagging five interceptions and Malik Verdon chipped in 47 tackles, four pass breakups and two interceptions. Myles Purchase broke up 15 passes at cornerback, and Caleb Bacon (60 tackles, 6½ TFLs, three sacks, eight QB hurries) is a handful as a blitzing linebacker.
Iowa State will be without Carson Willich for the season after the third-year linebacker tore his ACL during spring practice, Campbell said in April.
Rockledge's Kenard Snyder, added via portal, improves Iowa State pass rush
Transfer Portal Additions: WR Isaiah Alston (Army), OL Dylan Barrett (Wisconsin), LS Drew Clausen (Northern Iowa), WR Eli Green (North Dakota State), RB Jaylon Jackson (Eastern Michigan), DB Ryan Robinson Jr. (LSU), EDGE Kenard Snyder (Louisiana-Monroe), OL Jalen Travis (Princeton), OL Owen Westemeyer (Colorado)
Transfer Portal Losses: EDGE Jefferson Adam (Eastern Michigan), WR Quaron Adams (South Dakota), OL Oluwafunto Akinshilo (UCLA), WR Aidan Bitter, DB Terrell Crosby (Toledo), DL Anthony Cunningham (Jackson State), WR Jason Essex (Tarleton State), WR Greg Gaines (Rhode Island), DL Tommy Hamann, TE DeShawn Hanika (Kansas), RB Arlen Harris Jr. (Missouri S&T), LB Joseph Jean-Louis (North Texas), LB Carston Marshall (Youngstown State), DB Treyveon McGee (Charlotte), P Ryan Millmore (Western Michigan), RB Cartevious Norton (Charlotte), DB Myles Norwood (New Mexico State), RB Eli Sanders (New Mexico), LS Dominic Sisneros (Northern Iowa), OL Darrell Simmons (Kansas), DB Blake Thompson (Louisiana Tech)
Campbell has shopped selectively in the portal since its explosion in recent seasons. According to 247Sports, the Cyclones have taken just 15 transfers across the last four offseasons.
Rockledge grad Kenard Snyder could improve the Cyclones' pass rush after generating 31 total pressures with 5½ sacks last season at Louisiana-Monroe. On the offensive line, Jalen Travis shined for Princeton (86.4 pass blocking grade per PFF) before suffering a season-ending injury after six games.
Iowa State bolstered an already stacked group of offensive skill players with a trio of additions. Jaylon Jackson started every game at running back last year for Eastern Michigan, gaining 576 yards with two touchdowns. Eli Green recorded 51 receptions and four TDs during his 27-game stint at North Dakota State, and Isaiah Alston led Army in receiving each of the last two campaigns.
Another Cyclones true freshman tight end could contribute right away
Top Incoming Freshmen: TE Cooper Alexander (Washington, Okla.), DB David Coffey (Chicago), OL Wade Helton (Corona, Calif.), OL Dontrell Holt (Joplin, Mo.), WR Dominic Overby (West Jordan, Utah)
Immediately tossing freshmen into the fray paid huge dividends for Iowa State last season, and Cooper Alexander could be one Cyclone set to make a quick impact.
Campbell told 247Sports that Alexander would "push to help our football team" after an impressive spring camp. Even though Brahmer and former walk-on Stevo Klotz are back, Iowa State runs plenty of two-tight-end sets, so opportunities will come knocking across the 12-game grind.
Iowa State traditionally punches above its recruiting weight class, a testament to talent evaluation and development during Campbell's regime. The Cyclones finished the 2024 cycle at 71st overall (53rd for high school signees) per 247Sports' composite rankings, and the program has signed just 16 consensus four-star athletes in the modern era.
Backup quarterback JJ Kohl, a redshirt freshman, is Iowa State's No. 2 all-time signee — trailing only Allen Lazard, a seven-year NFL veteran with the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets.
