October got off to a tough start for both the Cyclones and the Hawkeyes, as both took a tough loss in conference play. Most people expected Iowa to lose, given that the Hawkeyes faced defending Big Ten champion Michigan.
Still, Iowa State came up against Kansas with a perfect opportunity to get back on track and even its record in the Big 12.
Instead, the Cyclones lost and now find themselves in a very tight spot. Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes suddenly face a very tough stretch of the schedule with a trip to a resurgent Illinois on the slate. Here’s what we can take away from last week’s showings from Iowa and Iowa State.
Iowa State Gave This Game Away
At Lawrence, Kansas, doesn’t want the facts to get in the way of a good story. The Jayhawks are basking in being 5-0 for the first time since Mark Mangino was the Kansas coach and College GameDay visiting Lawrence this week, and it’s hard to blame them. But that said, Iowa State had absolutely no business losing to Kansas.
That’s because the Cyclones again proved to be their own worst enemy. Iowa State didn’t hurt its cause with penalties like it did against Baylor, but turnovers and failed execution killed the Cyclones against Kansas. Once again, the Cyclones hurt themselves with two Hunter Dekkers interceptions, and they added three missed field goals to the mix.
To make matters worse, these were not particularly tough kicks. A 45-yarder isn’t easy, but it’s makeable, and in today’s game, a college kicker should convert almost every kick from inside 40 yards. Iowa State left nine points on the field from Jace Gilbert’s misses, and Kansas turned one miss into its first touchdown drive. Going 1-for-4 does not cut it, as Iowa State has no margin for error in the Big 12.
This league is just too balanced for the Cyclones to keep leaving points on the field.
First half frames 📸
🌪🚨🌪 pic.twitter.com/iESePfxC74
— Cyclone Football (@CycloneFB) October 1, 2022
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The Cyclones’ Defense Played Outstanding
At this point, you might be able to make a convincing case that Iowa State has the best defense in the state over Iowa because the Cyclones again came up big on that side of the football. Kansas wanted to run the ball against Iowa State and Kansas couldn’t do it. The Jayhawks