Toledo @ Iowa State preview
Jack Trice Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2007 ) Iowa State 35, Toledo 36
Another week, another set of challenges for Iowa State, and not even its final non-conference game of the season offers a break with a hot Toledo team headed to Ames on Saturday. The week began with Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard getting slapped with a $25,000 fine for criticizing Big 12 Conference officials following last Saturday’s 37-20 loss to Oklahoma State, which dropped the 1-4 Cyclones to 0-3 in the conference. Now, Iowa State must put the losses and distractions aside and turn its attention to a Mid-American Conference foe riding a three-game win streak and sitting atop the conference’s West Division standings.
“It’s a great challenge,” Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said during his weekly press conference, adding that "1-4 is 1-4, and keeping a team focused, keeping a team motivated and keeping a team confident and pushing forward is the challenge that we face this week. … We feel we’re a good 1-4 team, though, and I state that because we’ve improved every week and our level of competition (has been) the highest in college football.” Indeed, the Cyclones have played three ranked teams already, in addition to matchups against rival Iowa and FCS powerhouse North Dakota State.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Cyclones.tv. LINE: Iowa State -3
ABOUT TOLEDO (4-2): After a 1-2 start, the Rockets have reeled off three straight wins – all against MAC West Division foes. Quarterback Logan Woodside was pressed into action in Toledo’s second game of the season when starter Phillip Ely went down with a torn ACL and is averaging 280.8 passing yards per game in his four starts. The Rockets are hoping to have leading rusher Kareem Hunt (ankle, quad) and wide receiver Dwight Macon (concussion) available Saturday.
ABOUT IOWA STATE (1-4): Rhoads isn’t exaggerating about the Cyclones’ schedule, as their five opponents (North Dakota State, Kansas State, Iowa, Baylor and Oklahoma State) are a combined 22-3 with the only losses coming against the Cyclones, top-ranked Florida State and No. 2 Auburn. Predictably, the rugged itinerary is reflected in Iowa State’s stats as the Cyclones rank 119th in FBS total offense (314 yards per game) and 98th in total defense (450.6). Second-year starting quarterback Sam B. Richardson is one of eight FBS players leading his team in passing (200.6 yards per game) and rushing (50.4 ypg).
EXTRA POINTS
1. This will be the third meeting between the two schools, with each winning close contests – Iowa State prevailed 45-43 in triple overtime in 2006 and Toledo won 36-35 the following season – in Ames.
2. The game is Iowa State’s homecoming contest, but the Cyclones are only 38-57-6 all-time in homecoming tilts.
3. Toledo ranks 16th in FBS total offense (517.5 yards per game) and 94th defensively (441.3).
PREDICTION: Iowa State 34, Toledo 31