AMES – It's solely been 4 years, however loads has modified since West Virginia made its solution to Jack Trice Stadium for a soccer sport in 2022. Each groups have new coaches on the helm and the Massive 12 now has 16 colleges after loads of convention reshuffling.
That 12 months, the Cyclones pulled away for a 31-14 win. It was additionally the final time e received a homecoming sport. Iowa State (2-2, 0-1 Massive 12) shall be hopeful for the same successful end result to interrupt the drought when it hosts the Mountaineers (3-1, 0-1) on Saturday, Oct. 3. Motion is about to kick off at 11 a.m. CT (TNT).
Iowa State coach Jimmy Rogers, a local of Chandler, Arizona, as soon as attended camps organized by West Virginia coach Wealthy Rodriguez when the latter was the pinnacle coach of the Arizona Wildcats from 2012-17. Rogers was a younger coach in these days, however he has since climbed the ranks and made his solution to a power-conference head teaching place. Now they’re set to conflict years later as each groups are vying for his or her first Massive 12 victory of the season.
"The transition that he's had already at West Virginia and what he's accomplished there was superior, however I knew him again after I was going to camps down when he was the pinnacle coach on the College of Arizona," Rogers stated of Rodriguez. "My impressions of him is that he's black and white and he says it how it’s, I form of love folks like that. Watching their workforce play, the physicality, the hassle and the way these guys function, you possibly can see there's a requirement of excellence and so we're going to have our palms full right here. There's an appreciation for his or her employees but additionally their workforce normally."
Final season was Rodriguez's first in his return to West Virginia, the place he beforehand had a profitable run because the Mountaineers' head coach from 2001-07. West Virginia went 4-8 in 2025 however is on tempo for a a lot improved 2026 marketing campaign.
The Mountaineers attained their first 3-0 begin since 2018 after defeating then-No. 25 Virginia, 38-27. They confronted a setback in a 41-24 loss to Oklahoma State on Sept. 26, their first lack of the 12 months.
West Virginia is highlighted by the backfield tandem of quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. and working again Cam Cook dinner. Each transfers have revitalized the Mountaineer offense since arriving.
Cook dinner leads the Massive 12 with 510 speeding yards and has three speeding touchdowns. He will get the ball usually and averages near 25 carries per sport. Hawkins is one other impactful dual-threat quarterback. He's not too far behind Cook dinner with 425 speeding yards and a conference-best 9 touchdowns. As a passer, he's accomplished 60% of his throws for 609 yards, 5 touchdowns and an interception.
D.J. Epps (10 receptions, 279 yards, three touchdowns) and Jaden Bray (eight receptions, 118 yards) are the Mountaineers’ prime passing targets.
West Virginia operates a high-tempo offense, one which leads the Massive 12 with 294.8 speeding yards per sport.
"They run the ball arduous, their O-Line, they arrive off the ball arduous, they wish to run it down your throat," defensive deal with Max Baloun stated. "They do a very good job of it. … We're excited for the chance, excited for the problem. It's going to be an excellent matchup. We wish to cease the run, they wish to run it. That's two giants going at one another."
Defensively, the Mountaineers are determined for enchancment. Final 12 months, they had been among the many worst groups on protection amongst all power-conference colleges. This 12 months, West Virginia ranks on the backside of the Massive 12 for factors allowed (24.8 factors per sport) and complete yards allowed (426.5 yards per sport).
Oklahoma State definitely didn't assist these averages, because the Cowboys racked up 609 complete yards. 389 of them got here by means of the air and 220 yards (5.4 yards per carry) on the bottom.
Iowa State's offense has struggled with consistency, however maybe that is the Massive 12 opponent that can assist present constructing blocks and confidence on that aspect of the ball transferring ahead. There have been flashes of that offense's potential when it is ready to get right into a groove, however it’s going to goal to have extra sustained drives on Saturday.
Linebackers Isaiah Patterson and Ashton Woods are energetic in chasing down the ball service and among the many prime stoppers on a struggling Mountaineer protection. Security Geimere Latimer II could be the most important game-changer, although. The West Virginia sophomore leads the workforce in snaps, has 20 tackles, a sack and three compelled fumbles.
"We're going to get rather a lot," offensive lineman Austin Barrett stated of the Mountaineer protection. "They're very versatile. I respect the heck out of them. They're an excellent protection. They throw rather a lot at you and this week it comes all the way down to our preparation, how we put together for the fronts and their blitzes and the place they're bringing strain and whatnot."
It is going to be the Mountaineers’ first true street sport of the season. Rogers and the Cyclones are hopeful for an additional surroundings like final week's second-half displaying as Iowa State tries to remain above .500 and seize its first Massive 12 win of the season and the Rogers period.
"Our gamers fed off that power for, actually, most likely 18-minute stretch the place we had been beginning to get in rhythm," stated Rogers, who thanked the followers who stayed after an unpleasant first half for the Cyclones in opposition to Utah. "That's pivotal. Though you may wish to rip your hair out with this soccer workforce generally, we could be bald collectively, however you've nonetheless bought to point out up and stick to us and work by means of the arduous occasions. As a result of I can promise you, it’s going to solely get higher and higher the extra we be taught and develop as a soccer workforce."
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at >. Comply with him on Twitter at >.
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