Randy Peterson
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October 02, 2025
Matt Campbell’s Iowa State football program has accomplished so much over the past nine seasons. Two Big 12 Conference championship games. A New Year’s Six Bowl victory in the school’s first NY6 bowl game.
Upset wins at Oklahoma and Texas. Been in the College Football Playoffs conversation. Brock Purdy doing Brock Purdy things in the NFL. Ditto Breece Hall, David Montgomery, Will McDonald and Allen Lazard, among others.
Winningest football coach in school history. A school-record 11 wins last season. Bowl games – seven to be exact, in nine seasons.
Add another entry to the lengthy resume if his team can find a way to win Saturday’s 11 a.m., game at Cincinnati.
Two weeks ago, this was just another among the nine Big 12 opponents on the schedule. The Bearcats were not expected to cause much of a fuss against a team trending toward a second B12 title game in a row.
That changed after Cincinnati won at Kansas last week, and after Campbell announced that a second starting cornerback, five-game starter Jontez Williams, was out for the season. Add that to four-game starting cornerback Jeremiah Cooper being out for the season, and the Cyclones could be in for a heap of trouble against a quarterback Campbell said Tuesday is the best his team will have faced this season.
“I think when you talk two ACL injuries, you're talking, man, that's football, and football is going to happen,” Campbell told reporters.
Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby is among the Big 12’s best. He tests (and often beats) healthy cornerbacks, let alone a team with its best corners watching from the sidelines.
The 6-foot-3, 235-pound junior has completed 74 of 107 passes for 1,043 yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged an impressive 23.4 yards per completion in the Kansas victory a week ago.
That’s why winning this game, the first of an Iowa State two-game road swing that includes Oct. 11 at Colorado, would quietly rank right up there with Campbell’s best.
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THE RED ZONE
First down: You’ve got to love the honesty with which Colorado coach Deion Sanders speaks. Like Tuesday, when he said this after his school was fined $50K for students chanting “eff the Mormons” during the Buffs’ 24-21 loss in Boulder. "Our student body, our kids, are phenomenal,” Sanders said. “Don't indict us just based on a group of young kids that probably was intoxicated and high simultaneously.”
Second down: Drunk and high in Boulder? Pshaw!
Third down: Vegas favored Iowa State for a couple hours early this week, then quickly changed minds. Is Vegas giving more cred to Cincinnati’s victory against Kansas, than Iowa State’s against Arizona? Home field advantage at Nippert Stadium, where Iowa State beat Cincinnati 30-10 in 2023? Cyclones injuries, of which there are a few of significance? Interesting. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Campbell’s team a slim 51.5% chance to win. What all this shows is the craziness of the Big 12 Conference.
Fourth down: Stat to watch: Eight Big 12 games this season have been decided by one possession. That includes six by three points.
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The Iowa Everywhere staff gives their best shot at predicting top local interest weekend games. And for those who care, our three-week straight-up score is: Williams 24-7, Peterson 23-8, Hassel 21-10, Van Winkle 21-10, Downs 21-10, Brend 21-10. For entertainment purposes only. Of course.
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IOWA STATE at CINCINNATI
Randy Peterson: Iowa State is on notice – nothing more, nothing less. Concerned about the injuries at cornerback? You’re not alone, and you better believe that Cincinnati’s quarterback and his offensive coordinator will target Cyclones’ cornerbacks early in the game. Rocco Becht has a big game. Iowa State 38, Cincinnati 21.
Chris Williams: In terms of data, every indicator in the world points to Cincinnati “upsetting” Iowa State here. Iowa State is a top 15 team on the road at an unranked team and is an underdog. Auto bet on the home team. Until you look closer at the Cincinnati defense. I don’t know exactly what to expect from Iowa State’s secondary, but I do think that Rocco Becht and Taylor Mouser will have their way. Iowa State 34, Cincinnati 30.
Chris Hassel:The line movement is telling us all to take Cincy. But Iowa State will use that as motivation. As Anthony Becht tweeted last week, “this team eats CHIPS for breakfast” — as in chips on their shoulder. If it’s a close game it’s advantage Iowa State. Iowa State 31, Cincinnati 27.
Andrew Downs: The Cyclone Train keeps rolling. Defense gives up more due to injury, but the offense makes it a moot point. Iowa State 42, Cincinnati 35.
Matt Van Winkle: This game got a whole lot more interesting after Cincy's win at Kansas. Both of these teams should put up points and the Cyclone defense will be tested without their two starting corners and a few other key players dinged up. But give me Mouser + Rocco until proven otherwise. Iowa State 38, Cincinnati 31.
Jake Brend: I already thought this was a game Iowa State would need to score a lot of points in to win. That’s even more true now with the loss of Jontez Williams. Rocco Becht will be on his A game. Will his wide receivers? I think so. Rocco is able to take advantage of a below average Cincy secondary and walk out of Nippert Stadium with a shootout victory. Iowa State 37 at Cincinnati 33.
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KANSAS STATE at BAYLOR
Randy Peterson: Baylor 38, Kansas State 20.
Chris Williams: Kansas State 24, Baylor 21.
Chris Hassel: Baylor 27, Kansas State 24.
Andrew Downs: Baylor 31, Kansas State 21.
Matt Van Winkle: Baylor 28, Kansas State 20.
Jake Brend: Baylor 40, Kansas State 30.
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MINNESOTA at OHIO STATE
Randy Peterson: Ohio State 30, Minnesota 17.
Chris Williams: Ohio State 40, Minnesota 13.
Chris Hassel: Ohio State 30, Minnesota 10.
Andrew Downs: Ohio State 40, Minnesota 14.
Matt Van Winkle: Ohio State 38, Minnesota 10.
Jake Brend: Ohio State 33, Minnesota 13.
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TEXAS TECH at HOUSTON
Randy Peterson: Texas Tech 38, Houston 20.
Chris Williams: Texas Tech 31, Houston 10.
Chris Hassel: Texas Tech 27, Houston 10.
Andrew Downs: Texas Tech 38, Houston 28.
Matt Van Winkle: Texas Tech 30, Houston 14.
Jake Brend: Texas Tech 33, Houston 21.
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MICHIGAN STATE at NEBRASKA
Randy Peterson: Nebraska 34. Michigan State 20.
Chris Williams: Nebraska 24, Michigan State 10.
Chris Hassel: Nebraska 23, Michigan State 17
Andrew Downs: Nebraska 35, Michigan State 21.
Matt Van Winkle: Nebraska 28, Michigan State 21.
Jake Brend: Nebraska 30, Michigan State 17.
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WISCONSIN at MICHIGAN
Randy Peterson: Michigan 37, Wisconsin 20.
Chris Williams: Michigan 38, Wisconsin 13.
Chris Hassel: Michigan 20, Wisconsin 7.
Andrew Downs: Michigan 50, Wisconsin 3.
Matt Van Winkle: Michigan 35, Wisconsin 10.
Jake Brend: Michigan 24, Wisconsin 0.
(Columnist Randy Peterson, a past Iowa Sportswriter of the Year winner, can be reached at randypete4846@gmail.com or at any Okoboji-area beverage/food establishment between the hours of open and close.)