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Football Friday: Iowa State
November 25, 2016 07:25 PM | Football
DES MOINES, Iowa - Nineteenth-ranked West Virginia looks to rebound from last Saturday’s disappointing performance against Oklahoma when it faces Iowa State tomorrow at Jack Trice Stadium.
“Iowa State is a good football team,” noted West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen.
The Cyclones (3-8, 2-6) are trending upward following back-to-back victories over Kansas and Texas Tech, the most recent one a surprising 66-10 triumph over the Red Raiders that has gotten the attention of everyone throughout the Big 12.
In that game, Joel Lanning scored five touchdowns on the ground and quarterback Jacob Park completed 14-of-18 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns - one of those going to Allen Lazard for 34 yards. Lazard finished the afternoon with seven catches for 137 yards.
Lazard also played a vital role in Iowa State’s 31-24 win at Kansas by catching 10 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. David Montgomery was the big ground gainer in that game with 169 yards on 24 attempts.
Against Texas Tech, Iowa State set school records for points in a conference game (66), margin of victory (56) and points in a quarter (31 in the second period). Iowa State’s 45 first-half points fell three short of a school mark for points in a half.
Iowa State coach Matt Campbell, just 36, was the 2015 Mid-American Conference coach of the year at Toledo and brings a 38-23 career record into Saturday’s game.
“They have things rolling,” said Holgorsen. “They have won two games for the first time in a long time in conference (play) last week, so they’re going to gain momentum from that.”
Iowa State will recognize its 22 seniors before the game.
West Virginia, meanwhile, is looking to finish the season on a strong note by winning its remaining two games against the Cyclones and Baylor to reach double-digit victories, which would be only the ninth time in school history that has happened and the first since the Mountaineers achieved 10 wins during coach Dana Holgorsen’s first season at WVU in 2011.
The Mountaineers are also seeking their sixth Big 12 victory, which would be the most since West Virginia joined the conference in 2012.
“We’re 8-2 - had a good year - and we need to move forward, press forward because there’s a lot to play for,” Holgorsen said. “We have a chance to get our ninth win on Saturday. That hasn’t happened since we joined the Big 12. We have a chance to get our sixth Big 12 win, and that hasn’t happened since we joined the Big 12, and we have another game after that.”
Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on FS1 and will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG’s pregame coverage will begin at noon on stations throughout West Virginia and online via leanStream and the mobile app TuneIn.
Here is Saturday’s Countdown to Kickoff:
10 - The Mountaineers have had TEN plays of 47 yards or longer from scrimmage this year, but only three of those have gone for touchdowns - all three coming against Youngstown State on passes thrown by quarterback Skyler Howard.
9 - West Virginia has scored 20 or more points in a quarter NINE times since 2013, including 20 points scored in the second quarter the last time the Mountaineers faced Iowa State in Ames in 2014.
8 - This week marks the EIGHTH consecutive week West Virginia has appeared in the national rankings, reaching a high of No. 10 twice. The week the Mountaineers are ranked No. 19.
7 - The Mountaineers held a SEVEN-point lead at halftime of last year’s game against Iowa State before erupting for 17 second-half points.
6 - Senior quarterback Skyler Howard ranks SIXTH in passing efficiency at WVU with a career rating of 139.45.
5 - Iowa State’s defense is allowing an average of just 25.2 points in game in its last FIVE games and has held opponents below their season scoring average in five out of the last six games.
4 -Coach Dana Holgorsen has lost only FOUR times when scoring 40 or more points in a game while at West Virginia. His record in games when his team scores 40 or more is 20-4.
3 - West Virginia has won THREE times against Iowa State in 2012, 2014 and 2015. Two years ago in Ames, the Mountaineers scored 20 points in the second quarter to overcome an early 21-7 deficit.
2 - Junior Justin Crawford became the SECOND player under Holgorsen to rush for more than 300 yards in a game last Saturday when he gained 331 yards in West Virginia’s 56-28 loss to Oklahoma.
1 - Eighteen of West Virginia’s 38 touchdowns scored this year have come on FIRST down. Those first-down TDs are equally split between rushing and passing at nine each.
Enjoy the game and be sure to stop back afterward for complete postgame coverage.
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