PRIMER: No. 11 Iowa State Hosts Texas Tech For Homecoming

AMES, Iowa - No. 11 Iowa State resumes play after an off week as it hosts Texas Tech at Jack Trice Stadium for Homecoming. The Cyclones are looking to start a season 8-0 for the first time in school history, surpassing the previous best start of 7-0 in 1938.

Who: No. 11 Iowa State (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) vs. Texas Tech (5-3, 3-2 Big 12)
Where: MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium (61,500) – Ames, Iowa
When: Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 – 2:30 p.m. CT
PURCHASE TICKETS | PURCHASE PARKING

The Links
WATCH: ESPN
PxP: Dave Pasch; Analyst: Dusty Dvoracek; Sideline: Taylor McGregor
LISTEN: Cyclone Radio Network – Varsity App, TuneIn Radio or Radio Affiliates
PxP: John Walters; Analyst: Eric Heft; Sideline: Ryan Harklau
LIVE STATS
IOWA STATE GAME NOTES
2024 FOOTBALL YEARBOOK
MEDIA CENTER

INSIDE THE SERIES
22nd Meeting
Overall: 8-13
Home: 5-5
Road: 3-8
Campbell vs. TTU: 5-2
Last Meeting: 11/19/22 (ISU 10, TTU 14)

50 SEASONS AT JACK TRICE STADIUM
Iowa State's is in its 50^th season of play at Jack Trice Stadium. Learn more about the stadium's history by clicking here.

NUMBERS OF NOTE
2 - Rocco Becht has led Iowa State on two game-winning drives where the Cyclones have gotten the ball trailing with less than two minutes remaining in the game (vs. Iowa, UCF).

3 - Malik Verdon is ISU's leading tackler and has double-digit tackles in three games this season. He's led the Cyclones in tackles in back-to-back weeks against West Virginia (10) and UCF (11).

4 - Cornerback Jontez Williams has an interception in four-consecutive games, the nation's longest active streak and the first Cyclone to do so since 1982 (Ronnie Osborne).

8 - Iowa State has won eight regular season games in a row dating back to last season, the fifth-longest active streak in FBS.

Rocco Becht vs. UCF (2024)

WINNING IN THE MARGINS
Coach Matt Campbell constantly preaches winning in the margins and taking care of the details. Well, this season, the Cyclones have been doing all the little things right.

PENALTIES: Iowa State is one of the least penalized teams in the nation. The Cyclones lead the country in fewest penalty yards per game (25.14) and rank second nationally in fewest penalties committed (2).
TURNOVERS: ISU has a turnover margin of +9, which leads the Big 12 and ranks No. 7 nationally.
SPECIAL TEAMS: The Cyclones have been sound on special teams this season. Iowa State won at Iowa via a game-winning field goal and has blocked two punts, one of which was returned for a touchdown. ISU is one of 11 teams in the country with two blocked punts this season.
NEGATIVE PLAYS: Iowa State has largely avoided big negative plays on offense this season. ISU ranks fifth in the Big 12 and No. 26 nationally in sacks allowed (8).

RUNNING WILD
Iowa State's rushing attack has been one of the largest areas of growth from last season to this season.

Carson Hansen's seven rushing TDs are more than ISU's leader from a season ago (Abu Sama, 6).
Hansen is the first Cyclone to have 90+ rushing yards in three-straight games since Breece Hall did it in 2021.
The Cyclones rushed for 200+ yards in three-straight games (Arkansas State, Houston, Baylor) for the first time since 2021.
ISU has rushed for 230+ yards in four of the last five games.

ISU Rushing Comparison
Stat	Rushing Yards	Rushing TDs
2023 (13 Games)	1,559	16
2024 (7 Games)	1,399	16

STOPPING THE PASS
Iowa State's opponents have struggled to throw the ball against the experienced Cyclone secondary this season. ISU's defense is yielding just 133.7 passing yards per game (2nd nationally) and has allowed just 99 completions this season, among the top-five nationally for fewest completions allowed.

Opponents are completing just 51.3 percent of their passes and averaging just 4.9 yards per pass attempt against the Cyclones, which is the second-fewest nationally.

The Cyclones have 12 interceptions through seven games this season and own a turnover margin of +9, which ranks among the nation's top 10.

Beau Freyler, Jeremiah Cooper, Myles Purchase

OTHER KEY STORYLINES

Iowa State is one of eight undefeated teams nationally. The Cyclones are undefeated heading into November for just the third time (1916, 1938) in their 133-year history.
The Cyclones are bowl eligible for the seventh time in nine seasons under Matt Campbell.
ISU is 12-3 in its last 15 games, including 7-1 in road games. The Cyclones have won five-straight Big 12 Conference games for the third time (2018, 2020) with a chance to win six in a row for the first time.
Iowa State's defense, under Jon Heacock's direction, leads the Big 12 and ranks ninth nationally allowing just 14 points per game. ISU is allowing just 304.0 yards of total offense per game, 18th nationally and tops in the Big 12.
The longer the game goes, the stronger the defense gets. In the second half of games, ISU is allowing just 5.7 points and 125.3 yards. In the fourth quarter, opponents are scoring 2.9 points.
Rocco Becht led the Cyclones on the second-game winning drive of the season against UCF, guiding ISU 80 yards in 1:18 for a TD. He has a TD pass in 11-straight games, which is tied for the second-longest streak in school history.
Becht's favorite tandem - Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins - have made it clear they are one of the nation's best pass-catching duos. Noel (3) and Higgins (2) each have multiple 100-yard games this season. Higgins has a TD in eight of his last nine games. Against UCF, the duo combined for 211 yards and one TD on 14 catches. It was the fifth time in seven games they combined for at least 10 catches, 175 yards and a score, the most nationally by a set of teammates.

CYCAST WITH THE CYCLONE RADIO CREW
John Walters, Eric Heft and Ryan Harklau sit down to preview Iowa State's homecoming matchup against Texas Tech. The podcast is presented by Van Wall Equipment.

To listen, CLICK HERE.

WEEKLY MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Matt Campbell, Taylor Mouser, Rocco Becht, Tyler Miller, Darien Porter and Rylan Barnes met with the media on Tuesday. Watch their interviews below.

PRIMER: No. 11 Iowa State Hosts Texas Tech For Homecoming

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Players Mentioned

Rylan Barnes

Rocco Becht

Carson Hansen

Jayden Higgins

Tyler Miller

Jaylin Noel

Darien Porter

Malik Verdon

Jontez Williams

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics

PRIMER: No. 11 Iowa State Hosts Texas Tech For Homecoming

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Rylan Barnes

Rocco Becht

Carson Hansen

Jayden Higgins

Tyler Miller

Jaylin Noel

Darien Porter

Malik Verdon

Jontez Williams

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