Iowa State Football Has Drastic Offense Splits To Fix Against BYU

The Iowa State Cyclones are set for a major test on the road under the lights on a Friday night in Provo, Utah, taking on the No. 8-ranked BYU Cougars.

This will be the third ranked team that the Cyclones face off against this year, as they already went on the road to Kinnick Stadium to play the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Cy-Hawk rivalry game and hosted the Utah Utes at Jack Trice Stadium.

Those two games account for Iowa State’s losses this season. The Cyclones showed a lot of grit and toughness in both contests, not backing down against teams who were perceived to be better than them entering the game.

A similar situation is set up against BYU, who looks like the better team. However, there is one troubling trend Iowa State will have to break against the Cougars that has developed this year: their inability to consistently move the ball against strong defenses.

Iowa State offense will be challenged by BYU defense

Iowa State offensive coordinate Tyler Roehl talks to media. — Iowa State offensive coordinate Tyler Roehl talks to media during a media opportunity at Stark Performance center on Feb. 11, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As shared by Bill Connelly of ESPN, the Cyclones are a completely different team when facing off against bottom-tier defenses and top-tier units. That isn’t too much of a surprise, as every team will perform better against a defense that isn’t as stout.

However, the splits that Iowa State has produced thus far are eye-opening. They have played three games against defenses that are ranked 107th or worse in SP+. In those games, the Cyclones are averaging 46 points per game, 7.4 yards per play, and have a 46.8% success rate.

They have played two games against top-20 defenses, and their performance has dropped off steadily. Iowa State has averaged only 15 points per game in those contests, averaging 4.5 yards per play with a 34.1% success rate.

Through Oct. 4, BYU had the No. 13-ranked defense in SP+ with a 16.2. They have allowed only 14.2 points per game and have been especially strong against the run. Opponents have rushed for only 75 yards per game, averaging 2.7 yards per carry.

Can Iowa State get Aiden Flora going on the ground?

Iowa State Cyclones running back Aiden Flora (21) breaks through the West Virginia Mountaineers defense for a touchdown. — Oct 3, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones running back Aiden Flora (21) breaks through the West Virginia Mountaineers defense for a touchdown during the second half at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Aiden Flora is going to be challenged to churn out yards on the ground as he has been doing this season. The Cyclones' emerging star has averaged 11 yards per carry against the teams ranked 107th and 4.5 yards per carry against the top-20 units.

4.5 yards per carry is still a respectable number, showcasing his dynamic playmaking ability. But even getting to that amount is going to be a challenge against the Cougars.

If Iowa State is going to pull off the upset, Tyler Roel and the offense need to produce better than they have in previous matchups with strong defenses. They will be counting on Jaylen Ranyor to continue his improved performance through the air to take pressure off the ground game.

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