Iowa State Finishes Regular Season vs. Drake

Drake

#24 IOWA STATE (7-4, 6-3 Big 12)
vs. Drake (7-3, 6-2 Pioneer)
Sat., Dec. 1 | 11 a.m. CST | Ames, Iowa
MidAmerican Energy Field At Jack Trice Stadium (61,500)

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network/Learfield
Talent: John Walters, Eric Heft, Ben Bruns
TV: Cyclones.tv
Talent: Brent Blum and Sage Rosenfels
Live Stats: cyclonestats.com

-No. 24 Iowa State (7-4, 6-3 Big 12) will finish the regular season by playing host to FCS opponent Drake (7-3, 6-2 Pioneer). This game was scheduled after Iowa State had its season-opener vs. South Dakota State cancelled.
-It marks the first-ever December game played in Ames.
-The two teams first played each other 120 years ago with a 17-16 ISU victory in 1898. ISU leads the all-time series vs. Drake at 48-17-4. Drake won the last meeting in 1985 with a 20-17 victory in Ames.
-Iowa State is fresh off a 42-38 win over Kansas State, tying its largest fourth-quarter comeback in school history (38-21; 17 points): 2013 West Virginia (38-21; 17 points), 1987 Northern Iowa (38-21; 17 points).
-The Cyclones set a school record for conference wins in a season (six) and finished in a tie for third in the Big 12 standings (6-3), their best league finish in 40 years (1978, T3rd).
-Iowa State became bowl eligible after the Baylor victory and posted an above .500 record in conference play for the second-straight season. This marks just the third time since the Big 12 was formed in 1996 where the Cyclones had a winning record in conference play: 2000 (5-3), 2017 (5-4), 2018 (6-3).
-ISU has won five games in row at home and is 5-1 in games played at Jack Trice Stadium, tying for the second-most season victories at home in school history: 2002 (6-1), 2018 (5-1), 2005 (5-1), 1977 (5-1), 1976 (5-1).
-A victory vs. Drake would tie the school record for consecutive home wins in a season with six (2002).
-ISU appeared in the first four CFP rankings and is ranked in two polls: AP (#24) and CFP (#25). It marks the latest ISU has been ranked in the AP poll in the regular season since 1976 (#14 on Nov. 20).
-ISU currently has played the fourth-toughest schedule nationally to date according to the Sagarin Rankings.
-The Iowa State defense has been stellar in 2018, holding nine opponents to below their season scoring average. The Cyclones lead the Big 12 in scoring defense (22.4) and rank second in total defense (357.5).
-ISU's actual scoring defense season total is 19.8 (the Cyclones have given up four non-offensive TDs).
-ISU's offense has made a resurgence with the insertion of true freshman QB Brock Purdy in the last seven games. With Purdy at the helm, ISU is 6-1 with wins over two over ranked teams, and is averaging 32.1 points, 405.3 yards of offense and 6.3 yards per play. He's won Big 12 Newcomer of the Week three times.
-Purdy has been sensational, averaging 254.6 yards passing, 294.1 yards of total offense and is completing 66.1 pct. of his passes. His 176.72 passer rating ranks fourth among NCAA FBS QBs with over 150 attempts and his six conference victories already ties for fourth among ISU QBs since 1985.
-WR Hakeem Butler is a big-play machine, ranking second in the nation in yards per reception at 22.5. Iowa State has 13 plays from scrimmage of 40 yards or longer and Butler owns 10 of them to rank third nationally.
-Butler leads the team in receptions (47), receiving yards (1,059) and TD catches (9), ranking 15th nationally in receiving per game and 21st in the nation in TD receptions. Since Purdy took over at QB, Butler is averaging 106.8 ypg, 24.1 ypc and has 6 TDs in the last seven games.
-Butler is aiming for two single-season school marks. His 1,059 receiving yards ranks second in school history, 14 yards shy of the school record (Lane Danielsen, 1,073 in 2002). His nine TD catches ties for second in school history, one TD shy of the school mark (Allen Lazard, 10 in 2017).
-RB David Montgomery ranks fourth in the Big 12 and 30th nationally in rushing at 94.7 yards per game. Montgomery has five 100-yard rushing efforts this season and 13 in his career to tie for fourth in school history.
-Montgomery is 8th all-time in school history in career rushing yards (2,656) and T9th in career rushing TDs (23). He needs 53 rushing yards to become the 8th Cyclone with multiple 1,000-yard seasons.
-Iowa State's senior class (2015-18) is the only class in Cyclone history to achieve a victory over every conference opponent: Seniors Brian Peavy and Chris Francis are the only two players to play in all nine victories.

Iowa State Finishes Regular Season vs. Drake

Players Mentioned

Hakeem Butler

Chris Francis

Allen Lazard

David Montgomery

Brian Peavy

Brock Purdy

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics

Iowa State Finishes Regular Season vs. Drake

Related News

Players Mentioned

Hakeem Butler

Chris Francis

Allen Lazard

David Montgomery

Brian Peavy

Brock Purdy

Related Videos

Sponsors