Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell reacts after a call during the second quarter against Iowa in the Cy-Hawk Series at Jack Trice Stadium on Sept. 6, 2025, in Ames, Iowa Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Controlling This Aspect of the Game Will be Key for Iowa State Cyclones in Week 6

Originally posted on Iowa State Cyclones on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Oct 4, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Iowa State Cyclones are getting set for their Week 6 matchup against the Cincinnati Bearcats, in what should be an exciting game. Both teams come into the game with an undefeated record in the conference and the Bearcats are a slight favorite at home.

It has been a strong season for the Cyclones so far who have been able to beat every team that has been put in front of them so far. While not every game has been pretty, Iowa State has been able to win some close games. Coming off of their bye week, it was the best performance of the year for the Cyclones against the Arizona Wildcats.

In the win, Iowa State was able to win by a comfortable score of 39-14. Both the offense and defense looked great, and this was an improved team in Week 5. For Cincinnati, they lost their first game of the campaign to the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but have since won three straight, including a conference win against the Kansas Jayhawks.

The Bearcats are led by an explosive offense with quarterback Brendan Sorsby emerging as one of the best in the country. With a banged-up secondary for the Cyclones, the matchup against one of the best quarterbacks in the country isn’t ideal.

Controlling Time of Possession Will Be Key

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If Iowa State is going to be able to pull off the upset, they are going to need to control the time of the possession. Winning conference games on the road is never easy, and the Cyclones already had a scare against a far lesser opponent in the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

Due to the team being short-handed in the secondary, stopping Sorsby is going to be a challenge. However, while they might have a hard time slowing him down, they can limit his opportunities. Iowa State is built on playing a physical brand of football, and that can help them in this game.

Getting the ground game established with running back Carson Hansen will be key in this one. The junior running back is starting to find his groove in the last couple of weeks and running him early and often can help set the tone. If the Cyclones can control the time of possession, it will put the pressure on the Bearcats and Sorsby to press a bit.

This should be a fascinating matchup between two teams with contrasting styles of ball. While it won’t be easy to pull off the road upset, lowa State does have the ability to pull it off.