Three Keys To Victory for Iowa State Cyclones Against Colorado Buffaloes

Here are three keys to victory for the Iowa State Cyclones in Week 7.

Aug 23, 2025; Dublin, IRELAND; Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell during the Aer Lingus Classic between Iowa State and Kansas State at Aviva Stadium. | INPHO via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are heading into Week 7 with a massive game against the Colorado Buffaloes. After their first loss of the year in Week 6, the Cyclones must win this one to keep pace in the Big 12. 

While Iowa State certainly needs this game, so do the Buffaloes. Colorado enters this game with a 2-4 record and are 0-3 in the conference. With three conference losses already, making the Big 12 title game is basically impossible for the Buffaloes. However, they do still have a chance of getting to six wins and being bowl eligible. 

Despite the record, this is a Colorado team that does have talent and shouldn’t be taken lightly by the Cyclones. Iowa State showed some flaws in their first loss of the campaign and this is a team that has played in a lot of close games. With it being a must-win spot for the Cyclones, here are three keys to the game. 

Defense Must Be Better

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It was no secret that the reason that Iowa State lost in Week 6 was that the defense had their worst performance of the year. While coming into the game there were a lot of concerns about how the secondary would perform, it was the run defense that really had a hard time. 

Despite the Cyclones being perceived as a physical team, they lost in the trenches in that game pretty badly. While the Buffaloes’ rushing offense is better this year with an improved offensive line, they still aren’t known for a great rushing attack. It’s hard to imagine the defense playing as poorly as they did last week, and the unit should bounce back a bit. 

Be Aggressive in Field Goal Range 

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With kicker Kyle Konrardy out still, the team certainly felt his absence in Week 6. There were multiple occasions, along with a missed field goal by Chase Smith, that could have helped turn the game into the Cyclones’ favor a bit more against the Bearcats. 

Depending on how much faith Matt Campbell has in his freshman kicker, decisions and playing calling has to be altered for the team to be successful when they get into field goal range. The Cyclones can’t be leaving points on the field on the road, and they will have to do a better job once they pass the 50-yard line if they don’t believe in their kicker. 

Control Time of Possession

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Any time a team is playing on the road or with a struggling defense, the best way to combat that is to run the football and control the time of possession. This is something that has happened to the Cyclones this year, and they must try to do it to Colorado this weekend. 

While the status of Carson Hansen might remain uncertain, the team still has a talented running back in Abu Sama III and a mobile quarterback in Rocco Becht. If the team can control the ground game, it will help ease the pressure on their defense to make stops.