A matchup of unbeaten teams is on tap for Saturday night when No. 14 Iowa State hosts Arizona in a Big 12 game in Ames, Iowa.
The Cyclones (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) have been on top of the league standings for a month, thanks to their Week Zero win over rival Kansas State in Ireland — one of three one-score victories. Since the start of the 2024 season, Iowa State owns an 8-1 record in games decided by 8 points or less.
“The reality, fortunate or unfortunate, the life we live here is there’s always a lot of one-score games,” said Iowa State coach Matt Campbell. “The better we’ve been, the better we’ve been fundamentally and detailed to win those games.”
Arizona (3-0) is off to its best start since 2015 and sits one victory away from matching last season’s win total. The Wildcats are making their first trip to Ames since 1968 as they play their second Big 12 opener after 45 years as members of the Pac-12.
“Every stadium on the road in this conference is a monster,” said Arizona coach Brent Brennan. “Every road game that we play is sold out, everywhere the crowd is all over your (expletive) the moment you get off the bus. It’s just part of playing in this conference.”
Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht and Arizona’s Noah Fifita are both redshirt juniors who won conference Freshman of the Year awards in 2023. This season, Becht has thrown for 860 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception, in addition to two rushing scores. Fifita has thrown for 712 yards with six TDs and no picks while scoring three times on the ground.
“You can see him playing with just extreme confidence, because he’s effective in everything they ask him to do,” Brennan said of Becht, who is 22-9 as Iowa State’s starter.
Arizona’s Ismail Mahdi and Iowa State’s Carson Hansen are both coming off 100-yard rushing performances, with Mahdi going for 189 in a nonconference win over Kansas State and Hansen gaining 116 at Arkansas State. Mahdi, a transfer from Texas State, led FBS in all-purpose yards in 2023. With his 189 rushing yards and two catches for 32 yards, he personally outgained Kansas State (193 total yards) two weeks ago.
Defense could define this game, as both teams have been stingy in allowing points and yards. Arizona has given up only two TDs this season and held its last two opponents below 100 passing yards. Iowa State allows just 14.3 points per game, but only 10 per game at home.
Iowa State will be without kicker Kyle Konrardy, who earlier this season made a school-record 63-yard field goal, due to injury. In his place will be freshman walk-on Chase Smith, who has yet to attempt a field goal in his college career.
“It’s not going to be a long-term situation,” Campbell said of Konrardy, who is 7 for 9 this season on field goals and 28 of 37 for his career.
Arizona seeks its first 4-0 start since 2014. Iowa State, which began 7-0 last season en route to a spot in the Big 12 title game, has won eight of its last nine at home.