is Iowa State a dark horse in the Big 12 in 2024 they might just be this is a team that has a lot coming back this year and should be pretty good before we go into the game by game predictions just some thoughts on this team yeah you look at the offense and Roco Beck returns at quarterback uh really the offense overall returns a lot I mean they they're really loaded on that side of the ball I love the wide receiver group here at Iowa State this is one of the more talented offenses that Iowa state has had maybe ever under Matt Campbell so I think offense going to be good and the defense should be solid as well defensive line should be good secondary should be good love the safeties and if there is a weakness maybe it's the linebacker spot that's one area where uh they could be a little bit better but overall Iowa State I don't think they're getting talked about enough as potentially a contender in the Big 12 I think this team's very similar to Kansas State remember they beat Kansas State last year uh and you look at the two rosters and what they had coming back I think Iowa State and Kansas State are pretty even this year I know everyone's talking about Kansas State and a lot of people have them as the favorites in the Big 12 but if if you think that then I think Iowa State's definitely in that conversation as well the problem for the Cyclones could be the schedule they've got a pretty tough schedule and here it is uh you see they of course have to play Iowa in the non-conference and they play some of the better teams out of the Big 12 they play West Virginia they play UCF they play Texas Tech they play Kansas they play Utah they play Kansas State uh it is a grind in the Big 12 and I think that's going to make it tough for this team uh Vegas has the over underwe wi total at 7 and A2 um I think that's pretty fair when I was doing my I always do these graphics and I go look up the over under and I actually typed in seven and a half before I even looked it up because I was pretty certain that's what it would be uh that just feels about right for this team in the schedule uh but yeah S and5 eight- four the most likely records for this team I think they get off to a good start here should beat North Dakota no problem this Iowa game is is tricky um you look at the two teams I don't think that Iowa is significantly better I think they're fairly even I think Iowa State's got an advantage on offense and Iowa's got an advantage on defense uh it's one that when I was making my predictions if you watched the videos you already know I did pick Iowa to win this game and I felt pretty confident at that time but the more I look at Iowa State I think they've got a shot to go on the road and pull off an upset here but we' got to stick with our original prediction going to go with Iowa again could be a close game or should be I think a very close game and could potentially be one that Iowa State could pull off an upset in you got Arkansas State next not a bad group of five but Iowa State should be able to take care of business there so a two in one record before going on the road to play Houston this is Houston team that I also think is being a little bit underrated I think this will be a tough matchup for Iowa State uh there is still a good bit of talent on this Houston team they've got a great coach now and so I think this is a tough one and really I'm going to go win but I think between the Iowa and Houston games Iowa State probably splits those so if they go on the road and they beat Iowa I could then see them maybe lose losing to Houston but either way I think they win one lose one and I think they will be three and one before playing Baylor on October 5th at home uh this is a i State's a better team they're playing at home really no reason to pick against them got to go Cyclones here next game is West Virginia on the road October 12th another very very tough one to predict West Virginia going to be ground and pound good defense we know what we're going to get from them um Garrett green as a dual threat quarterback could cause some problems for this Iowa State Defense especially if linebacker is a weakness for them and just that run game overall for West Virginia I think that could be a problem for the Iowa State Defense and then Iowa State's offense can they score enough against a very good West Virginia Defense the game is on the road it's It's just tough for me to go with Iowa State here I got to go with the home team going West Virginia and Iowa State then drops to 4-2 they play UCF next uh this is going to be a tough one it's going to be tough to defend this offense the UCF has a lot of weapons a lot of weapons coming back KJ Jefferson in there at quarterback we see what he can do in this guest M on offense I think it's going to be tough to stop um I think the there are areas with this UCF defense they're going to be really good as well so I think UCF pulls off a win here I think after a tough physical game at West Virginia Iowa State falls in the the next week against UCF but definitely a game they could win uh Texas Tech is next luckily they get a bye-week before this game that's why I'm going to say they beat Texas Tech um if you flip these games you put Texas Tech after West Virginia and UCF after the by week I'd flip I would say Iowa state would then lose to Texas Tech and beat UCF so it's really just the way the schedule Falls both of these games are going to be great matchups pretty even um similar teams UCF and Texas Tech so I see Iowa State splitting those two games and it just makes more sense to lose after a tough road game and win the game after the bye that's why I'm going with that next we got Kansas on November 9th on the road tough offense to stop a lot of weapons uh Kansas won the game last year this time it's at Kansas I got to go with The Jayhawks here if Jaylen Daniels is healthy I I think Kansas is going to be a very dangerous team if he gets injured again though i' I'd switch my pick to Iowa State and that's why it's crazy to make predictions this far out but um it's fun to do in the off season anyways we go to Cincinnati next uh says four I think is going to be the worst team in the Big 12 uh their defense is just going to be bad I think Iowa state is able to do whatever they want they might put up 50 points in this game and they'll beat Cincinnati Utah next on the road tough tough place to play uh similar to the West Virginia game it's going to be a physical matchup I think Utah has got an advantage at the line of scrimmage their run game's going to be tough to stop uh if Cam Rising can stay healthy I think that's just going to make this team even tougher to beat so I've got to go Utah here at home and they'll close things out with Kansas State talked about this a second ago they beat Kansas State last year on the road they get him at home this year I think the teams are pretty even I do not see Kans State being a lot better than Iowa state they're very similar teams they're built in a similar way uh I like Iowa State at home I think they win again this year and they finish seven and five that seems kind of low though honestly when you look at this team you look at this roster you would think yeah this is probably at least an eight and4 but this schedule's pretty tough and you know if we could flip one game around maybe it's the UCF game get them to 8 and4 but like I said they could lose on the road to Houston they could lose to Texas Tech they could lose to Kansas State so I think 75 a pretty fair prediction what is your prediction for Iowa State let me know down in the comments below