Iowa State will provide a tough test for Utes in rainy Ames

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When Utah’s Big 12 schedule was released this season, the consensus was that the Utes’ opening trip to Iowa State was the easiest game on the conference schedule.

Longtime Cyclones coach Matt Campbell built Iowa State’s program from an afterthought to a winner, notching the school’s first-ever 10-plus-win season in 2024, when Iowa State went 11-3 with a Pop-Tarts Bowl victory over Miami.

Two years after the high-water mark for the Cyclones, Iowa State was staring at a full-on rebuild.

After Penn State fired coach James Franklin and couldn’t obtain the services of BYU coach Kalani Sitake and a number of other high-profile coaches like Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer, the Nittany Lions turned to Campbell.

Iowa State was essentially gutted. Twenty-three players followed Campbell to Happy Valley, including starting quarterback Rocco Becht and tight end Ben Brahmer. The ones who didn’t go to Penn State found the transfer portal anyway. Just 22 scholarship players, per 247Sports’ Alec Busse, remained for Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers, who took the job in Ames.

The Cyclones were projected to be the worst team in the conference, but thanks to some good maneuvering in the transfer portal by Rogers, Iowa State may be ahead of schedule in its rebuild.

Thanks to the transfer portal, rebuilds don’t have to be as drawn out as they used to be. Oklahoma State lost 21 straight games against FBS opponents, but in Year 1 of the Eric Morris era, the Cowboys upset then-No. 6 Oregon two weeks ago.

Morris brought in 92 transfers, including North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker, and looks to have the Cowboys back on track.

That’s exactly the model that Rogers has used at Iowa State, where he’s been able to surpass early expectations.

Iowa State blew out Southeast Missouri State and Bowling Green. In the Cyclones’ road rivalry at Iowa, they played the heavily-favored then-No. 21 Hawkeyes close, with Iowa needing a last-second field goal to escape with a 16-13 win.

How have the Cyclones been able to get off to a good start to the season?

They’ve been led by a defense that has been excellent, for the most part. Iowa State ranks in the top 21 nationally in passing yards allowed and rushing yards allowed, giving up just 151.3 yards through the air and just 83.3 yards on the ground per game.

Against Iowa, the Cyclones held the Hawkeyes to just 284 total yards in a good defensive performance.

The Cyclones are led defensively by cornerback David Coffey, who is one of the few returning players, linebacker Sullivan Schlimgen, safety Drew Surges and defensive end Isaac Terrell.

Terrell leads the team in sacks with three, while Schlimgen leads the Cyclones in tackles with 23 and has also forced a fumble.

Iowa State’s defense will be the toughest that Utah has faced this season, and making matters worse is the rainy forecast for Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. MDT contest on Jack Trice Stadium’s grass field. While the Utes are no strangers to playing in the rain (see last year’s Arizona State game), will the rain change things at all?

Utah has found success through the air to start the season, and while run blocking has been a work in progress, the Utes have still rushed for 698 yards through the first three games.

Utah coach Morgan Scalley says that the rain won’t impact their game plan. Offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven has shown a propensity for trick plays, motions and unique formations, and the show will go on, rain or shine.

“Not worried about it. We got to continue to be who we are and ultimately it comes down to wearing the right cleats, good footing. We got grass that we practice on, practice with the wet ball, do everything we can to prepare for that situation. Ultimately it’s guys understanding the surface and we’ll be prepared,” Scalley said.

If the Utes do have to run more than planned, can the offensive line create better rushing lanes for the running backs?

“This is a physical football team on the road, potentially in the rain. So preparing for all that, got to be able to stop the run, got to be able to run the ball. So those are going to be big keys in this game,” Scalley said.

Offensively, Iowa State’s strength is running the ball.

The Cyclones boast the nation’s No. 40 rushing offense with 203.7 yards per game, led by Aiden Flora, who is another returning player from last year’s team. He’s off to an efficient start to the season with 328 yards and three touchdowns on 38 carries for an 8.6 yards-per-carry average.

Jaylen Raynor, an Arkansas State transfer, is a dual-threat quarterback and has rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns this season.

Containing the Cyclones’ rushing attack will be paramount.

Raynor has completed just 55.8% of his passes this year and has thrown for 434 yards and four touchdowns with an interception. When he does drop back, Iowa State’s offensive line has been excellent in pass blocking to start the season, providing the Utes’ new-look defensive line with perhaps its biggest challenge of the young season.

The Utes’ Big 12 opener is looking a lot tougher than it did in the preseason. Saturday’s game will provide a test for the Utes, who are favored by just 7.5 points, to open conference play.

“They’ve got really a brand new crew. I think they lost 90% of their production on the offensive side of the ball. You see some of the defenders that he brought with him from Washington State, they play hard, played Iowa at Iowa and very close game lost by a field goal,” Scalley said.”They’re very stout, very tough on the defensive side of the ball. They run the heck out of the football on the offense with a dynamic quarterback as well. This is going to be a really good test for our guys.”

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