Five Big Questions Before BYU Welcomes Iowa State on Friday

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BYU is set to host Iowa State for a Friday night kickoff at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The Cougars are coming off of a hard-earned, albeit sloppy, win over TCU in Fort Worth to move to 4-0 and now rank No. 8 in the AP poll.

Let’s dive into five burning questions ahead of the matchup with the Cyclones.

What is the status of big BYU injuries?

The biggest storyline leaving Fort Worth for BYU was, unfortunately, injuries. Running back LJ Martin got hurt on the second series of the game and never returned. He was seen later in the game on the sidelines in street clothes. Star linebacker Isaiah Glasker was injured during Faletau Satuala’s interception return. Upstart defensive back and returner Cannon DeVries was seen later in the game in a walking boot.

This is a tenuous time for the Cougars to experience a wave of injuries. The Iowa State game is on a short week, with kickoff being Friday. Which means the practice week is accelerated and guys with bumps and bruises need to heal faster than normal. Plus, on the other end of that game, the Cougars have a daunting matchup with Notre Dame. Surely, that will be BYU’s most physical game to date.

Head coach Kalani Sitake gave updates on Monday. It appears Martin and Glasker are doubtful with DeVries more likely to play. However, Martin was at least listed on the initial depth chart for the week, unlike Glasker. Jake Clifton is atop the rover position, followed by Siale Esera.

What is different about Iowa State from last year?

This question is a bit silly. The real question should be what isn’t different about the Cyclones from 2025. Matt Campbell bolted for Penn State and took quarterback Rocco Becht, and a host of other Cyclones, with him to Happy Valley. Of course, that came after BYU got into a bidding war with Penn State for Kalani Sitake’s services. Iowa State hired Jimmy Rogers, who was the head man for Washington State last season.

Jaylen Raynor is now the quarterback after three seasons at Arkansas State. He led the Sun Belt in passing last year. But he also led the conference in interceptions. He has four in five games for the Cyclones this year.

Jesse Bobbit followed Rogers to Iowa State from WSU as defensive coordinator. The Cyclones have a new offensive coordinator as well, in Tyler Roehl, who was the tight ends coach for the Detroit Lions last year but was previously an assistant head coach at ISU.

Who are the Cyclone playmakers to watch for?

Two words: Aiden Flora. Thus far for Iowa State, the veteran running back has been a type of gadget Taysom-Hill-on-the-Saints type of player. He exploded against West Virginia last week with 212 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, and two passing touchdowns. He is the type of player the Cougars need to account for on every play.

Cornerback David Coffey is one of Iowa State’s top defenders. He has three pass breakups and has allowed less than a 60.0 passer rating when targeted.

What matchups with ISU favor BYU?

Iowa State ranks 84th in rushing yards allowed per game and 95th in rushing touchdowns allowed. BYU should be able to run the ball, even without LJ Martin. Journee Tonga is averaging 8.3 yards per carry in limited action. Preston Rex had 10 touches against TCU. The Cougars rank 16th in FBS in rushing yards per game on offense. This should help BYU control the tempo even as they play undermanned.

There is a mismatch on third downs as well. BYU’s offense ranks 12th in the FBS in third down conversion rate. Iowa State’s ranks 103rd. The Cougars should be able to win battles on third downs, which is a huge aspect in winning. Bear Bachmeier’s running ability is a big separator for the Cougars.

What does Iowa State do best?

Their third down defense ranks 17th in conversion rate. The Cyclones have excelled against the pass, allowing just 172 yards per game, which ranks 27th in FBS. Iowa State has done a good job of not getting over-penalized on either side of the ball, staying fairly disciplined.

Quarterback Jaylon Raynor is athletic and is not afraid to use his legs. He already has 179 rushing yards, three rushing scores, and has ran for 13 first downs. The Cougars will need to be disciplined in their pass rushing lanes to keep him contained and not have him wiggle loose if the coverage is tight downfield. Iowa State ran for 265 yards against West Virginia, most of that damage coming from Flora.

Prediction: BYU 27, Iowa State 23

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