Iowa State vs Arizona State: Football Game Preview

by Archynetys News Desk

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State hosts Arizona State Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium as the Cyclones look to snap a rare three-game skid in a rematch of last season’s Big 12 Championship game.

Who: Iowa State (5-3, 2-3 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (5-3, 3-2 Big 12)

Where: MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium (61,500) – Ames, Iowa

When: Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 – Noon (CT)

PURCHASE TICKETS | PURCHASE PARKING

The Links

WATCH: TNT

PxP: J.B. Long; Analyst: Mike Golic Jr.; Sideline: Bridget Howard

LISTEN: Cyclone Radio Network – Varsity App, TuneIn Radio or Radio Affiliates

PxP: John Walters; Analyst: Eric Heft; Sideline: Ryan Harklau

GAME NOTES: ISSU // ASU

LIVE STATS

2025 FOOTBALL YEARBOOK

MEDIA CENTER

INSIDE THE SERIES

Second Meeting

Overall: 0-1

Home: 0-0

Road: 0-0

Neutral: 0-1

Campbell vs. ASU: 0-1

Last Meeting: 12/7/2024 (ISU 19, ASU 45)

CYCLONES vs. SUN DEVILS

Iowa State and Arizona State will meet for just the second time ever on Saturday.

Iowa State has just one player from the state of Arizona on its roster – redshirt freshman running back Dylan Lee – but perhaps its most notable football alum, Brock Purdy, hails from the state. Purdy grew up in Gilbert, Arizona, attending Perry High School. Purdy holds nearly every Iowa State quarterbacking record.

Last time they met…

ASU defeated the Cyclones, 45-19, in the 2024 Big 12 Championship game. The game was tied at 10-10 just over a minute into the second quarter before ASU scored touchdowns on five of its next six possessions. Three Cyclone turnovers resulted in Sun Devil touchdowns in the third quarter.

SPREADING THE BALL AROUND

Iowa State is one of seven teams nationally and the only in the Big 12 with two players with 500 yards rushing in Carson Hansen (500) and Abu Sama III (544). The last time ISU had two players top 600 rushing yards in the same season was 1982 (Tommy Davis, Harold Brown).

ISU is also one of six schools nationally with at least five players with more than 225 receiving yards – Brett Eskildsen (409), Benjamin Brahmer (317), Chase Sowell (270), Gabe Burkle (266) and Xavier Townsend (243).

In the last five games, ISU has had a player post either 100 rushing or receiving yards in each game. Hansen had 116 rushing yards against Arkansas State, Sowell had 146 receiving yards against Arizona, Eskildsen finished with 105 receiving yards at Cincinnati and Sama rushed for 177 yards at Colorado. Last Saturday against BYU, Hansen rushed for a career-high 152 yards and two touchdowns.

KEY STORYLINES

  • Iowa State ranks second among Big 12 teams and 27th nationally averaging 61,500 fans per contest with sellouts in each of the season’s first four games.
  • Since the start of the 2024 season, ISU owns a .727 winning percentage (16-6), among the nation’s Top 20 during that time. Arizona State has the exact same record as the Cyclones during that time.
  • The Cyclone defense allowed just six fourth quarter offensive touchdowns in 2024, tied for the fewest among Big 12 programs. This season, ISU has allowed just four fourth quarter offensive TDs in the first eight games.
  • Rocco Becht has accounted for 17 touchdowns this season, 10 through the air and seven on the ground. He is completing a career-high 63.7 percent of his passes this season.
  • Tyler Miller has made 35-consecutive starts for the Cyclones, the longest among Big 12 offensive linemen.
  • Cyclone punter Tyler Perkins has started the last three seasons and his 43.7 punting average is the best career mark in school history.
  • Kicker Kyle Conrady made his return against BYU after missing three games. He knocked through two field goals against the Cougars from 36 and 43 yards out.
  • Brett Eskildsen ranks No. 15 nationally and fourth in the Big 12 averaging 19.5 yards per catch.
  • Marcus Neal Jr. leads Iowa State with 54 tackles this season, including six for a loss.
  • Linebacker Will McLaughlin logged two sacks in the first half against BYU. He previously had only one sack in his career.















STAT COMPARISON
ISU

ASU
232 (29.0) Scoring (PPG) 198 (24.8)
166.4 Rush Yards Per Game 174.9
4.3 Yards Per Carry 4.6
18 Rush TDs 10
250.8 Passing Yards Per Game 226.3
156-244-6 Comp-Att-Int 169-289-3
10 Passing TDs 11
417.1 Total Yards Per Game 401.1
10-4 Fumbles-Lost 9-2
33-271 Penalties-Yards 64-478

WEEKLY MEDIA AVAILABILITY

Matt Campbell, Taylor Mouser, Brett Eskildsen, Gabe Burkle, Kyle Conrady and Jamison Patton met with the media on Tuesday. Watch their interviews below.











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