Iowa State Football: 2024 Preview, Best Players, Top Transfers, Season Prediction, Win Total

Iowa State College Football Preview 2024

Iowa State is a bit past the dark days of losing, but the recent history is still a factor.

The program suffered through ten losing seasons in 11 years from 2006 to 2016, and it’s one of the few Power Four schools yet to achieve a ten-win campaign. Why does this still matter?

Matt Campbell coming up with six winning seasons in the last seven years is incredibly impressive, especially after the tough start to last year with a fight through the noise of a sports wagering investigation—the charges were eventually dropped—in a very, very weird season.

How bizarre was the 2023 Cyclone run?

They lost to Ohio, and then beat Oklahoma State. Over the last six games, they went 4-0 on the road and 0-2 at home. The defense allowed over 35 points just once, and finished up allowing 36 in the bowl loss to Memphis.

This year’s team should be far, far more consistent.

It’s loaded with veterans on both sides of the ball, there’s no more Oklahoma or Texas on the new Big 12 slate, and there’s a great shot to be knee-deep in the Big 12 title hunt until the end.

The real reason to be excited is the likely huge bump from the …

Iowa State Football Preview 2024: Offense

- It took a little while to get going, but the offense eventually joined the party. It helps that the schedule eased up a bit, but the attack also wasn’t working against Northern Iowa or Ohio early on.

The ground game wasn’t it normal Iowa State self - it was WAY too inconsistent - but when it blasted away, the team won going 4-0 when running for more than 150 yards and 6-1 when getting to at least 100.

Leading rusher Abu Sama is back after running for 614 yards and averaging over seven yards per carry. It’s not a deep bunch, but getting Eastern Michigan scatback Jaylon Jackson should help. Even better …

- The Iowa State offensive line should be stronger. Four starters are back - guard Jim Bonifas should be the best of the bunch, but it’s a good starting five across the board - and part tight end, part fullback Stevo Klotz is a whale of a blocker who can catch a little bit.

- The Cyclones have a quarterback. No, he’s not the next Brock Purdy or anything, but Rocco Becht is a dangerous playmakers who close the season with a 446-yard day in the bowl loss to Memphis, and threw ten touchdown passes and just one pick over his last four games.

The receivers are strong. Jayden Higgins is an All-Big 12 talent on the outside - averaging over 18 yards per catch last season - and Jaylin Noel was the team’s leader with 66 catch and seven scores.

In all, the top four receivers are back, and Army’s Isaiah Alston is coming in after averaging over 20 yards per grab over his four years.

Iowa State Football Preview 2024: Defense

- The Texas defense led the Big 12 last season, Iowa State’s was second, and Texas is gone to the SEC.

The pass rush has to be far better, but the run defense great, the pass defense was okay, and despite the shootouts at the end of the season, overall is was good. This year it all starts on the defensive line that could be among the best in the Matt Campbell era.

All four projected starters should be strong. JR Singleton and 335-pound Domonique Orange should form a brick wall on the inside, and Joey Petersen and Tyler Onyedim are veterans who will be a bit more disruptive on the outside.

- The linebacking corps should be almost as strong as the line. Caleb Bacon and Jack V. Sadowsky are 240ish pound thumpers, and Carson Willich can fill in as a third outside linebacker or work at either of the other two spots.

- The secondary lost a star, but is full of experience. TJ Tampa is gone, but Myles Purchase is back at one corner after finishing third on the team with 56 tackles. The guys on the outside will be fine, but even with all of the Iowa State positives, the safeties might be the stars.

Jeremiah Cooper led the team with five picks, broke up ten passes, and made 45 tackles. He’s great, Beau Freyler led the team with 107 stops with three interceptions, and Malik Verdon was fourth with 47 tackles with two picks.

Key To The Iowa State Football Season

Turnovers - get them, don’t give them away.

Yeah, of course - turnovers are a big deal. Duh.

It’s not like the margin of error was that tight for Iowa State with only four games decided by seven points or fewer, BUT …

Iowa State was +2 in the win over Oklahoma State, and lost the other three with just one takeaway and four giveaways. The team was 5-0 in the regular season when not turning it over, and 2-5 when it gave the ball away.

Iowa State Key Player

Carter Davis, PK Jr.
He didn’t do too much at Florida Atlantic making just two of four field goal tries - and all 23 extra points - and now he has to step in and be great in place of Chase Contreraz.

Again, Iowa State didn’t play a ton of tight games with just the 10-7 loss to Ohio decided by three points or fewer - Contreraz was 0-for-2 on field goals in that. However, he hit 21 of his other 24 overall and 14 of his last 15.

Iowa State Football Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: Jalen Travis, OT Sr.
The Iowa State offense line is already solid and doesn’t need anyone to step in and star right away, but the 6-7, 315-pound Travis is can step in at either tackle spot and be a strong part of the rotation. Or, he might just be the team’s best tackle once he gets into the mix. But …

Top Transfer Out: Darrell Simmons, OG Sr.
Iowa State didn’t suffer any real painful losses through the portal, but the 6-3, 320-pound Simmons would’ve been an important swing starter at guard, if he didn’t step in and take over one of the gigs. Now he’ll be a good option for Kansas.

Iowa State Key Game

at Kansas, Nov. 9
It’s not exactly a road game - it’s being played in Kansas City, just a short 3.5 hour drive from downtown Ames. (The Kansas stadium is being refurbished.)

Iowa State has lost the last two to the Jayhawks, including a 28-21 key game to start November last season. This time around it’s the second-to-last game away from home and the only one for about six weeks before hosting Cincinnati.

10 Best Iowa State Football Players

1. Jeremiah Cooper, S Jr.
2. Jayden Higgins, WR Sr.
3. Rocco Becht, QB Soph.
4. Beau Freyler, S Jr.
5. Jaylin Noel, WR Sr.
6. Jarrod Hufford, OG Sr.
7. Tyler Onyedim, DE Jr.
8. Domonique Orange, DT Jr.
9. Benjamin Brahmer, TE Soph.
10. JR Singleton, DT Sr.

Iowa State 2023 Fun Stats

- Red Zone Scoring: Iowa State 31-of-33 (94%), Opponents 30-of-41 (73%)

- Fumbles: Iowa State (lost 3), Opponents 7 (lost 3)

- Sacks: Iowa State 21, Opponents 14

Iowa State Football 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season

The team is more experienced, it doesn’t have the dark cloud to deal with like it had in the beginning of last year, and now there’s a great chance to break out of the mini-rut of okay seasons.

Oklahoma beat the Cyclones 50-20 last year - no worries about that this time around.

Texas beat the Cyclones 26-16 - no sleep lost over the Longhorns, either.

Iowa State doesn’t have to play Arizona or Oklahoma State. That matters, not dealing with the Colorado circus isn’t the worst thing, and missing Arizona State, BYU, and TCU isn’t awful.

There’s a trip to Utah late in the season. That will be a problem, and the Iowa game is a few miles down the road. Those aren’t totally out of reach, but they’re the nasty games compared to everything else.

Kansas State is once again the regular season finale, but this time it’s in Jack Trice, and getting all three of last year’s AAC newbies - Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF - isn’t bad.

With all of that said, the rest of the Big 12 will be better. There won’t be any issues getting to a bowl game, but don’t be stunned if the Cyclones have their best team since 2020.

Set The Iowa State Win Total At … 7

Likely Wins: Arkansas State, North Dakota

50/50 Games: Baylor, Cincinnati, at Houston, at Iowa, at Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, UCF, at West Virginia

Likely Losses: at Utah

2024 Iowa State Football Schedule

Aug 31 North Dakota
Sept 7 at Iowa
Sept 14 OPEN DATE
Sept 21 Arkansas State
Sept 28 at Houston
Oct 5 Baylor
Oct 12 at West Virginia
Oct 19 UCF
Oct 26 OPEN DATE
Nov 2 Texas Tech
Nov 9 at Kansas
Nov 16 Cincinnati
Nov 23 at Utah
Nov 30 Kansas State

Missing: Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Colorado, Oklahoma State, TCU