3 Bold Predictions for Iowa State Football Against BYU

The Iowa State Cyclones opened a lot of eyes with their performance in Week 5, defeating the West Virginia Mountaineers in a shootout at Jack Trice Stadium, 45-42.

With a 3-2 record and 1-1 in the Big 12, the Cyclones are halfway to becoming bowl-eligible. They have their work cut out to achieve that, with their schedule set to get more difficult down the stretch.

That starts with a trip to Provo, Utah, to face the BYU Cougars in Week 6 in a Friday night affair. This is the third time Iowa State will be facing off against a ranked opponent this year, with the Iowa Hawkeyes and Utah Utes being the two teams that have beaten them.

What can fans expect to see in this matchup? Here are some bold predictions for the game.

Bear Bachmeier has a monster game

Iowa State Cyclones' defensive back Ta’Shawn James and linebacker Carson Willich miss tackle BYU Cougars QB Bear Bachmeier. — Iowa State Cyclones' defensive back Ta’Shawn James (19) and linebacker Carson Willich (14) miss tackle BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) as running for a touchdown during the third quarter at Jack Trice Stadium on Oct. 25, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Last season, the Cyclones hosted the Cougars at Jack Trice Stadium in a blackout game. Iowa State led by two touchdowns in the first half, but were unable to hold on as BYU blitzed them from that point on, outscoring them 31-3 for a 41-27 final score.

Bear Bachmeier was a driving force behind the Cougars’ success, throwing for 307 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 49 yards on the ground and another score. With LJ Martin sidelined, he is in line for a massive workload, and he will create a ton of offense for BYU.

After struggling to stop Michael Hawkins Jr. last week, the Cyclones will be unable to slow down Bachmeier. He is going to account for four touchdowns again and 325+ total yards in front of his home fans in Provo.

Aiden Flora continues dominance

One of the most pleasant surprises in college football this season has been the performance of Aiden Flora. He has been one of the best offensive players in the country, ranking eighth with 594 rushing yards and tied for ninth with six rushing touchdowns despite being in a tie for 37th with 73 carries.

Flora faces a major test going up against a Cougars’ defense that is allowing only 75 yards per game on the ground, but he is going to surpass that mark on Friday night.

The emerging star running back is going to be an energizer for the offense once again. He will surpass the 100-yard mark on the ground and clear 150 total yards from scrimmage against a stout BYU group.

Iowa State falls short

Iowa State Cyclones linebacker Kooper Ebel (47) looks to tackle BYU Cougars tight end Carsen Ryan. — Oct 25, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones linebacker Kooper Ebel (47) looks to tackle BYU Cougars tight end Carsen Ryan (20) at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cyclones picked up the first Big 12 victory for head coach Jimmy Rogers last week. This week, he will try to get his first conference win on the road, but he is going to have to wait at least one more game for that.

Iowa State is proving they are better than many people thought they would be coming into the year, but there is still work to do before they are ready to knock off a top-10 team on the road in their building.

The Cyclones will compete, but ultimately come up short, with the Cougars coming away with a 27-14 victory.

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