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Iowa State University Athletics
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No. 7 Cyclones Kickoff Season Playing Host To UNI
09.03.2021 | Football
#7Â IOWA STATE CYCLONES
0-0 overall (0-0Â Big 12)
vs.
UNIÂ PANTHERS
0-0 overall (0-0Â MVFC)
Date:Â Sept. 4
Place:Â Jack Trice Stadium
Time: 3:30 p.m. CT
TV:Â Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Talent: Shawn Kenny (pxp), Sage Rosenfels (analyst), Skubie Mageza (sideline)
The Lead
No. 7 Iowa State (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) begins the 2021 season playing host to FCS power UNI (0-0, 0-0 MVC) Saturday on MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium. Iowa State is ranked in the AP preseason poll (No. 7) for the third-straight season. The Cyclones were picked second in the Big 12 Coaches preseason poll. UNI, ranked 21st in the preseason FCS poll, was picked to finish fifth in the MVC preseason poll. ISU owns the all-time series lead at 23-6-3.Â
Key Storylines
-Iowa State is coming off one of its most successful seasons in 2020, tying the school-record for wins (9), winning its first New Year's Six Bowl (PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, Oregon, 34-17) and finishing the season ranked in the AP Top 10 (No. 9) for the first time in school history.Â
-ISU returns 10 starters on offense and nine on defense.Â
-ISU returns 16 players on offense who have a combined 221 starts and 11 players on defense who have a combined 225 starts.
-A total of 20 players are back who have earned some sort of All-Big 12 recognition, including eight players who earned first-team honors in 2020.Â
-ISU returns three All-Americans- RB Breece Hall, TE Charlie Kolar, LB Mike Rose. Those three, plus DB Greg Eisworth II, OL Colin Newell and DE Will McDonald IV, made various preseason All-America teams.
-The ISU defense has an active streak of six games allowing fewer than 10 points in the second half, the second-best string nationally.Â
Players Mentioned
DB
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RB
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TE
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DE
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OL
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Special Teams Coordinator Rob Grande 2_13_26 interview
Friday, February 13
SAM/Nickels Coach Ross Watson 2_13_26 interview
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Safeties Coach Pete Menage 2_13_26 interview
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DL Coach Jalon Bibbs 2_13_26 interview
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