Three Keys to Victory for Iowa State Cyclones Against TCU Horned Frogs

Here are three keys to the game for the Iowa State Cyclones against the TCU Horned Frogs

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 are getting set for their Week 11 matchup against the TCU Horned Frogs, and this is going to be a challenging matchup. 

Coming into the game, the Cyclones have a 5-4 record, compared to the Horned Frogs' 6-2 record. Not too long ago, Iowa State was 5-0 and ranked 14th in the country. Unfortunately, that feels like a while ago, and the team is now out of the mix for the Big 12 championship. 

On the other side, TCU controls its destiny to get into the title game, and it needs to win out to secure its spot. As a sizable favorite against Iowa State, they are going to be looking to finish the campaign strong, starting with a win.  

Even though things have not gone well for the program of late, there is still reason to believe that the Cyclones can compete in this game. It is not going to be easy, but they still have a lot of talent on the roster. Here are three keys to a win for Iowa State against TCU. 

Attempt to Slow Down Hoover

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While the matchup against Josh Hoover and the passing offense of the Horned Frogs is going to be a massive challenge, it will be imperative that they at least slow this unit down. If Hoover goes for over 300 passing yards and lights up the Cyclones’ secondary, it is going to put a lot of pressure on the offense for Iowa State to try to keep up in what could be a shootout. 

It isn’t going to be realistic to shut Hoover down in this game, but the team might be able to limit the damage. If they can accomplish that, it could be enough to get the win. 

Control the Ground Game

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While the passing attack of the Horned Frogs is dynamic, it will be the Cyclones who have the edge on the ground. Getting Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III going in this one early and controlling the game in this area would be beneficial.

If they can control the time of possession in a significant way, it will allow them to not only have more success on offense but also help the defense by keeping Hoover and company off the field. 

Get Becht Going 

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If Iowa State is going to pull off the upset, they are going to need their star quarterback to start playing like it. Rocco Becht has struggled in the last three games, with mistakes and turnovers being an issue. 

With five interceptions in a three-game span, the junior is clearly not playing at the level the program has been accustomed to. If he turns it back around, Iowa State might be able to keep up in a shootout.