Do you like meaningless stats, trends, and talking points? I do. So much so that I’m going to bring a handful to you each week this football season in a blurb titled “Cy the Numbers” because the best way to introduce pointless stats is with corny puns. Check back each week for updated stats and trends, and remember not to use any of this as betting advice because I’m sure to be sued if you did.
Team Trends
- Opponent
- Iowa State is 1-3 against Kansas State in the Matt Campbell era, with the win coming in the last home contest against the Wildcats in a dramatic 17-point second half comeback.
- The Wildcats have gotten the best of the Cyclones in recent years, winning 11 of the last 12 games in the series.
- The Cyclones and Wildcats have one of the longest-running continuous football series in college football. This will be the 104th consecutive meeting between the teams.
- Time/date/weather
- The Cyclones are 9-8 in the month of November under Campbell.
- With a 3:00 p.m. kickoff, the Cyclones will be playing under the lights again at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones are 6-8 in late afternoon/evening games since 2017.
- The forecast on Saturday calls for a high in the mid- to upper-40s around kickoff. The Cyclones are 9-2 in sub-50-degree temperatures in Campbell’s tenure.
- Uniforms
- Iowa State will wear all-black uniforms for the second time this season (Oklahoma). The Cyclones are 4-0 in the all-black combo.
Record Watch
- Running back Breece Hall recorded his 7th-straight 100-yard performance against Baylor, rushing for 133 yards and 2 touchdowns and hauled in a receiving touchdown, as well. He picked up his third Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honor for the performance.
- Hall is just 1 of 6 players in FBS since 1996 to rush for 100 yards and score a rushing touchdown in the first seven games of the season.
- The only Big 12 school Hall has not rushed for 100 yards against is Kansas State.
- Hall has just one fumble in 389 career touches.
- Breece leads the Big 12 in 14 statistical categories and the nation in 6 major categories.
- Running back and kick returner Kene Nwangwu currently ranks 1st in school history in career kickoff return average (27.1 yards per return) and is 3rd nationally this season in kickoff return average (31.0 ypr).
- Linebacker Mike Rose is having himself a year, leading the team in tackles (56), interceptions (3), and QB hurries (3). His three interceptions rank 4th nationally and tied for 1st among linebackers. Rose earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against Baylor last week.
Random Ramblings
- Brock Purdy is 11-1 as a starter in Big 12 home games.
- The Cyclones are ranked #17 heading into this game, marking the 6th time Iowa State will play as a ranked team this season. Iowa State has won 4-straight games against unranked teams.
- Iowa State started conference play 5-1 for the first time in school history.
- The Cyclones have only allowed 8 sacks this season, the fewest in the Big 12.
- Iowa State’s offense continues to lead the Big 12 in yards per play at 6.7.
- The Cyclones have allowed 6 non-defensive touchdowns in 7 games this season, adding an extra 6.0 points per game to their defensive scoring total. The defense is only allowing 20.7 points per game, excluding those scores.