Good cop: Zander White
Iowa State returns to action against North Dakota on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Jack Trice Stadium. Both teams are looking for a winning start to the season in the first week of college football.
The Cyclones return redshirt sophomore Rocco Becht, a promising young leader, as their starting quarterback. Becht led Iowa State to the 2023 Liberty Bowl against Memphis.
In addition to Becht, running back Abu Sama III, wide receiver Jaylin Noel and wide receiver Jayden Higgins return to the Cyclones. This experienced elite team should have no trouble tearing apart North Dakota’s secondary.
The Fighting Hawks’ last victory in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) came in 2015 against the Wyoming team, which went on to finish 2-10. Although the team has won at the FBS level in recent years, it will take a lot of effort to defeat Iowa State on their home turf.
Both teams have a 6-4 record in their last 10 opening day games, with the exception of the Cyclones’ canceled game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in 2018. Still, both teams have had their fair share of exciting opening week matchups, including Iowa State’s triple-overtime game against Northern Iowa in 2019.
While I believe the first half of the game will be even, I expect North Dakota to fall apart in the second half and ultimately lose the game. Although they have experience in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs, I don’t think that will be enough to beat the Cyclones.
Final Score Prediction: Iowa State 38, North Dakota 21
Bad cop: Conner Swanson
Iowa State is going into the 2024 season with high expectations. There is no lack of experience: 19 regular players are returning, continuity at quarterback and a defense full of veterans. With this squad, nothing can go wrong against an FCS opponent.
It’s no secret that the Cyclones have struggled against FCS opponents in the past, with close games against UNI, Drake and a loss to Louisiana in 2020. There could be some teething issues with new offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser. Mouser has been the tight ends coach for the past four years and has stated that there is still restructuring going on in the offensive line, which could lead to costly miscommunications.
Iowa State was also prepared to have a strong receiver core in the 2024 season. However, on August 13, it was announced that wide receiver Daniel Jackson would be out for the rest of the season. While the Cyclones still have outstanding receivers in Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, having a third option is never a bad thing. If North Dakota can find a way to shut down Noel and Higgins and block the running game, Iowa State could have a tough time.
The Cyclones’ defense is built on generating pressure from unconventional angles, but if the defensive line or blitzers fail to get home, Fighting Hawks quarterback Simon Romfo can have too much time to exploit the secondary. Iowa State allowed 16 pass plays of 30-plus yards in 2023, ranking in the bottom half of the conference. Romfo will target wide receiver Bo Belquist further down the field to exploit the Cyclones’ aggressive defense.
If North Dakota wants to win this game, they’re going to have to score a lot of points. If new coordinator Mouser doesn’t handle the pressure well, Iowa State could have problems in this game, but I can’t see the Cyclones losing this one.
