Following a nerve-racking game between Iowa State and UCF on Saturday evening, Matt Campbell’s group remains the talk of the town.
After a 7-0 start to the 2024 season, many media members have provided their thoughts on the start, including 247Sports’ Brad Crawford, who believes the Cyclones are overrated.
“One of two remaining Big 12 unbeatens, Iowa State has one win over a Power 4 opponent sporting a winning record (Iowa),” Crawford said. “The Cyclones beat up on the bottom of the barrel in the conference and, as a result, rank No. 1 in the league in total defense and turnover margin through seven games. Is that a product of the schedule, or is this team a legitimate playoff threat? Quarterback Rocco Becht is not going to wow any opposing defensive coordinators with his arm, and both interceptions over the weekend against UCF were returned for touchdowns. However, give him credit for leading an 11-play, 80-yard drive that won the game in the final minutes for the Cyclones. The likelihood of the Big 12 sporting an unbeaten team at season’s end is low.”
Through the first seven games, Iowa State has taken down North Dakota, No. 21 Iowa, Arkansas State, Houston, Baylor, West Virginia, and UCF. While the collective record of the five Power Four teams that the Cyclones have faced is 15-20, in a conference like the Big 12, nothing is chalked up as an easy win.
Still, the team continues to fight off challenges en route to their hot start. While the Big 12 Conference gets crushed for the supposed “cannibalizing” of each other with tight contests like UCF and Iowa State, leagues like the Big Ten and SEC appear to be praised for games like Vanderbilt upsetting Alabama.
While the Big 12 continues its impressive run through conference play with two unbeaten teams, national headlines will likely find more and more ways to attack teams like Iowa State despite an unbelievable start.
