Iowa State Cyclones Must Beware of Talented Cincinnati Bearcats Signal Caller

The Iowa State Cyclones must find a way to slow down one of the best quarterbacks in the nation

Jul 12, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the Cincinnati Bearcats helmet and logo during Big 12 football media day at AT&T Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are heading on the road in Week 6 to face an improving Cincinnati Bearcats team hungry for a statement win. With the Cyclones being ranked 14th in the country, they are going to have a target on their back anytime they are playing an unranked Big 12 school looking to make a statement. That will undoubtedly be the case in Week 6. 

This will be the first true conference road game of the year for Iowa State and as a slight underdog, they are going to be tested against the Bearcats. This is a team coming into the matchup with a 3-1 record, with their lone loss coming in their first game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. 

Since then, it has been the offense that has really improved for the program over the last several weeks. This is a unit that used a couple of favorable matchups to their advantage to build some momentum, and they were able to score 37 points against the Kansas Jayhawks in their first conference game of the season. 

The Cyclones are a team that prides themselves on playing good defense and running the football. The defense is certainly going to have their hands full in this one and they must beware of one of the best quarterbacks in the country. 

Stopping Brendan Sorsby Will be Key 

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Coming off a good game against a talented quarterback in Noah Fifita in Week 5, the Iowa State defense will be tested in a significant way in Week 6. Brendan Sorsby is emerging as not only one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12 but also one of the best players in the nation so far. 

In 2025, he has totaled 1,043 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, and just one interception. The junior has shown some significant improvements in throwing the ball this year, and that complements what he can do with his legs as well. In addition to the 10 touchdown passes, he has also run it in four times. 

For a Cyclones’ defense that is going to be without two key defensive backs for the rest of the campaign, this is a challenging test right out of the gate. Sorsby really does it all for the Bearcats’ offense, and if Iowa State can slow him down, they will be in a good position to win. That is easier said than done, but if Sorsby runs wild, the Cyclones’ undefeated record will be in trouble.