Scouting the Opponent: What Arizona Faces in Iowa State
In this story:
Arizona (3-0) is set to kick off its fourth game of the season against No. 14 Iowa State in the first official Big 12 game of the season. This game marks the first time the two teams have played since the 1968 season, when the Wildcats went into Ames and won 21-12 over the Cyclones.
Arizona sought to get back on track after an underwhelming first season under Brent Brennan, during which the team finished 4-8 and missed a bowl game despite preseason high expectations.
Well, after changes were made to the coaching staff and the roster, Brennan seems to have the Wildcats moving in the right direction with the team starting the year with three-straight impressive wins over Hawaii, Weber State and Kansas State.
On the offensive side of the ball, Brennan brought in coordinator Seth Doege to fix the issues from a season ago, where the team averaged 21.8 PPG. However, if you take a deeper dive into the offense, the unit struggled to crack 20-plus points if you take out the New Mexico game, where the Wildcats dropped 61 points on the Lobos.
When you take that game out of the equation, Arizona averaged 18.2 PPG, putting the unit near the bottom of the conference.
So far in three games, Arizona is averaging 37 PPG which places the Wildcats at No. 37 nationally.
Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, Brennan promoted Danny Gonzales to defensive coordinator, where he has mixed up the scheme and has brought a new aggression to his unit.
In three games, the Wildcats have held opponents to 8.7 PPG, which places them at No. 10 nationally. Arizona has only allowed two touchdowns all season, with both coming against Kansas State in the last game.
To get you, the fans, ready for the game, we at Arizona Wildcats On SI reached out to CycloneReport publisher Bill Seals to break down ISU to give you an inside look.
Five Inside Questions
Q: What is the key to the Cyclones success?
- Seals: “I think a big thing has just been getting linebackers back and healthy again. Over the course of their 14-game season in 2024, Iowa State had a total of seven linebackers miss games due to injury. Getting inside backer Caleb Bacon healthy has been huge. Up front, the Cyclones also got nose guard Domonique Orange to return for his senior year, instead of testing the NFL Draft waters, and he's a key cog in the middle of Jon Heacock's 3-3-5 defense. While this is still not a defense that generates much pressure out of a three-man front, it's doing a little better job of it through four games.”
Q: How has ISU been able to have success on third down conversions?
- Seals: “An improved ground game is putting the team in much more favorable third down situations to move the chains. Third-year starting quarterback Rocco Becht is playing efficient football and isn't turning the ball over, plus he's been the key to converting on third downs by using his legs. ISU's two leading pass catchers are tight ends Ben Brahmer and Gabe Burkle, who have been targeted frequently on third down and are about as sure-handed as they come.”
Q: What went wrong in the Arkansas State game for ISU?
- Seals: “I think what everyone saw at Arkansas State was a team that was mentally and physically exhausted from an early start to the season that saw an overseas trip to Ireland and then return home to play three consecutive Saturdays, said Seals.
- “Those college teams that have played in Dublin to start the season rarely go on to have successful seasons and Iowa State has been one to buck that trend, but you could definitely tell this was a team in need of a breather down in Jonesboro. That was apparent on the defensive side, especially, as this was one of the worst tackling games we've seen in a while. The Red Wolves ran the ball well behind a mobile quarterback and were 7-of-16 on third down, as ISU's defense couldn't get off the field. A bye week should help immensely, but how the Cyclones match up against Noah Fifita should be interesting.”
Q: How has Rocco Becht had success this season?
- Seals: “I think it's another year in the offense and his second go around with offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser. Those two are in lockstep in charge of the Iowa State offense. Becht is making better decisions with the ball. Although he lost 1,000-yard receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to the NFL, Becht has shown the ability to spread the ball around more this season, instead of sometimes being prone to force it into those two. Becht has completed passes to 12 different players through four games.”
Q: How did the bye-week help ISU?
- Seals: “I think it provided both a mental and physical reset for a team that was badly in need of it. Head coach Matt Campbell said in his press conference on Tuesday that his team was worn out upon its return from the Arkansas State game. ISU has also gotten a number of players back healthy for this week, including Burkle, Carson Willich, John Klostermann, Jontez Williams and Aiden Flora. The bye week should also give offensive lineman Trevor Buhr time to get even more acclimated for a likely return to the starting lineup on Saturday.”
Please be sure to share your thoughts on Iowa State as the Wildcats get ready for the game. To do so, follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.
Troy Hutchison grew up attending Arizona athletic events, which gave him a unique perspective and knowledge of the athletic department's rich history. He attended UA and began covering the Wildcats in 2018. As the Arizona Wildcats Beat Writer on SI, he is set to deliver wall-to-wall coverage to give fans an in-depth perspective.
Follow THutch1995