PRIMER: No. 17 Cyclones, Jayhawks Clash at Arrowhead

AMES, Iowa - No. 17 Iowa State looks to regain its winning ways as it travels to Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, for a Big 12 Conference showdown against the Kansas Jayhawks. The Cyclones enter the game 7-1 overall and 4-1 in Big 12 Conference play.

Who: No. 17 Iowa State (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) vs. Kansas (2-6, 1-4 Big 12)
Where: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (76,416) – Kansas City, Mo.
When: Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 – 2:30 p.m. CT

The Links
WATCH: FS1
PxP: Guy Haberman; Analyst: Yogi Roth
LISTEN: Cyclone Radio Network – Varsity App, TuneIn Radio or Radio Affiliates
PxP: John Walters; Analyst: Eric Heft; Sideline: Ryan Harklau
LIVE STATS
IOWA STATE GAME NOTES
2024 FOOTBALL YEARBOOK
MEDIA CENTER

INSIDE THE SERIES
104th Meeting
Overall: 45-52-6
Home: 25-23-3
Road: 20-29-3
Neutral: 0-0-0
Campbell vs. KU: 6-2
Last Meeting: 11/4/23 (ISU 21, KU 28)

ROAD WARRIORS
Iowa State has won six-consecutive Big 12 road games, the longest conference road winning streak in school history. It is the fourth-longest active conference road winning streak nationally.

Overall, the Cyclones are 7-1 in their last eight road games with the lone loss coming in the Liberty Bowl at Memphis.

Longest Active Conference Road Winning Streaks
School	Games
Tulane	11
SMU	8
Texas	7
Iowa State	6

JAY-SQUARED
ISU's star wide receiver duo of Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins is one of the best pass-catching pairs nationally. Iowa State is the only team in the nation with two receivers over the 700-yard mark this season (Noel, 725; Higgins, 703).

Noel has a reception in 40-consecutive games, tied for the fourth-longest streak nationally. The Kansas City, Mo. native can score from anywhere on the field with seven touchdown receptions of 50-plus yards in his career. He has eight plays of 50-plus yards in the last two seasons.

Higgins is especially dangerous when the Cyclones get into scoring range. He has a touchdown reception in seven of eight games this season and nine of the last 10 games dating back to last season. Higgins' seven touchdown receptions are tied for the 15th-most nationally.

Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel (2024)

AMONG THE BEST...
Iowa State's secondary is among the best units in the country. The Cyclones are allowing just 9.8 yards per completion, which is the seventh-best mark nationally, and have allowed only six passes of 25-plus yards this season.

ISU's 14 interceptions are the third-most in the nation and lead the Big 12.

Jontez Williams is fifth nationally with four interceptions on the year. Three other Cyclones - Darien Porter (3), Jeremiah Cooper (2) and Beau Freyler (2) - have multiple interceptions this season and rank in the top 10 nationally in the category.

LONG-TIME RIVALS
This will mark the 104th meeting between long-time foes Iowa State and Kansas. The Cyclones have won 11 of the last 14 matchups, but have lost the last two against the Jayhawks.

The two previous games were nail-biters, with both decided by one possession. Kansas won in 2022, 14-11, in Lawrence, and by just a touchdown last season, 28-21.

CYCLONES AT ARROWHEAD STADIUM
Saturday's contest will mark Iowa State's fourth game played inside Arrowhead Stadium, with the Cyclones looking to secure their first victory.

All three previous games were decided by a touchdown or less.

ISU Results at Arrowhead Stadium
2002 - vs. No. 3 Florida State (L, 31-38)
2009 - vs. Kansas State (L, 23-24)
2010 - vs. Kansas State (L, 20-27)

Seneca Wallace vs. Florida State (2002)

OTHER KEY STORYLINES

Campbell became ISU's winningest football coach earlier this season, surpassing Dan McCarney's previous mark. He is in his ninth season leading the program, the third-longest tenured coach in ISU history and tied for the third-longest active tenure in the Big 12 Conference. In school history, only McCarney (1995-2006) and Clay Stapleton (1958-67) enjoyed longer tenures.
ISU's defense, under Jon Heacock's direction, leads the Big 12 and ranks ninth nationally allowing just 15.5 points per game. Its passing defense has been stout, yielding just 146.6 yards per game (3rd nationally). Overall, ISU is allowing just 311.8 yards of total offense, 20th nationally and second in the Big 12.
The longer the game goes, the stronger the defense gets. In the second half of games, ISU is allowing just 6.6 points and 135.0 yards. In the fourth quarter, opponents are scoring 3.3 points.
The Cyclone defense has a +9 turnover margin, which ranks 11th nationally and leads the Big 12. Seven different Cyclones have combined for 14 interceptions to rank among the nation's top 5. Since the start of the 2023 season, ISU has 30 interceptions in 21 games, tied for the most nationally in that span.
Rocco Becht has thrown a TD pass in 12-straight games, tying Brock Purdy's school record for consecutive games with a passing TD. The redshirt sophomore went over 5,000 career passing yards in ISU's last game.

CYCAST WITH THE CYCLONE RADIO CREW
John Walters, Eric Heft and Ryan Harklau sit down to preview Iowa State's matchup against Kansas. The podcast is presented by Van Wall Equipment.

To listen, CLICK HERE.

MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Matt Campbell, Jon Heacock, Jaylin Noel, Abu Sama III, Tyler Moore and Kooper Ebel spoke to the media on Tuesday. Watch their interviews below.

PRIMER: No. 17 Cyclones, Jayhawks Clash at Arrowhead

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Rocco Becht

Jeremiah Cooper

Kooper Ebel

Beau Freyler

Jayden Higgins

Tyler Moore

Jaylin Noel

Darien Porter

Abu Sama III

Jontez Williams

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics

PRIMER: No. 17 Cyclones, Jayhawks Clash at Arrowhead

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Rocco Becht

Jeremiah Cooper

Kooper Ebel

Beau Freyler

Jayden Higgins

Tyler Moore

Jaylin Noel

Darien Porter

Abu Sama III

Jontez Williams

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