Iowa State Cyclones Predicted to Defeat Kansas Jayhawks in Close Game

Should the Iowa State Cyclones be predicted to beat the Kansas Jayhawks?

Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell reacts during the fourth quarter against BYU at Jack Trice Stadium on Oct. 25, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones will be hosting the Kansas Jayhawks in Week 13, with this matchup being the final home game of the season for the program. 

This year has been an interesting one for the Cyclones, who have had some highs and lows. To start the campaign, Iowa State looked like one of the best teams in the Big 12 conference. They got off to a 5-0 start overall and were a quick 2-0 in conference play. Unfortunately, injuries really derailed what could have been a special year, and the program didn’t have the depth needed to make up for it. 

The poor play over the last month and a half resulted in a four-game losing streak in conference play and ultimately cost them a chance at competing for the Big 12 title. Despite not having a great game against the TCU Horned Frogs, Iowa State somehow came out with a road win. Now, they will be seeking to start up a winning streak in a game that figures to be a tight one. 

David Kenyon of Bleacher Report recently predicted that the Cyclones would narrowly edge out the Jayhawks in Week 13 with a 26-24 win. 

Close Game Feels Likely

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

While Iowa State is a slight favorite in this game, it isn’t going to be an easy matchup by any means. Kansas has played the Cyclones well in recent years, and they were able to secure a victory last season in a shootout. Due to some of the injuries on the defensive side of the ball for Iowa State, that feels like it could be the game script once again. 

If that ends up being the type of game as last year, the Cyclones are going to need their quarterback, Rocco Becht, to perform much better than he has. He played great in this matchup last year, but he is coming off his worst performance of the campaign and has been trending in the wrong direction. 

Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels has been excellent this year, both with his arm and his legs. If he performs well, he has a chance to put a lot of pressure on the defense of the Cyclones, who might not be adequately equipped to stop him. With the defense so banged up for Iowa State and the win against TCU not being overly inspiring, it is a bit surprising that they are predicted to win this one.