Football Friday: Iowa State
November 03, 2017 06:03 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia looks to get back on the winning side of things Saturday when the Mountaineers face 14th-ranked Iowa State at Milan Puskar Stadium.
The Cyclones storm into Morgantown on the heels of last Saturday's 14-7 upset of fourth-ranked TCU - Iowa State's second win over a top five team this year.
Second-year coach Matt Campbell has Iowa State off to a 4-1 record in league play for the first time in school history with four straight road wins dating back to 2016, the most for a Cyclone team away from Ames since 1971.
More Iowa State history: this year marks the first time in school history Iowa State has defeated top-five-ranked teams twice in the same year, and the Cyclones are seeking a fifth-straight road win for the first time since 1961.
"Iowa State is playing well," West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said. "Everybody that watches any TV or gets on Twitter or whatever understands what they've done the last month ever since that Thursday night game against Texas.
"They had the quarterback change heading into Oklahoma and they've done nothing but have success since then. Give them all the credit in the world; give their coaches credit, give their players credit and give their whole program credit for being in the situation where they're sitting here at 6-2 and 14th in the country - deservedly so," Holgorsen added.
West Virginia fell to 5-3, 3-2, after last Saturday's 50-39 loss to 11th-ranked Oklahoma State at Milan Puskar Stadium. WVU's three losses this year have come against ranked teams - No. 21 Virginia Tech, No. 8 TCU and No. 11 Oklahoma State.
"There's nothing like facing another top-15 opponent," Holgorsen said. "We're excited about that."
The Mountaineers own one victory over a ranked team, defeating No. 24 Texas Tech three weeks ago in Morgantown.
ESPN2 (Mike Patrick, Tommy Tuberville and Paul Carcaterra) will televise the game nationally at 3:30 p.m., while the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG's coverage begins at noon with the Mountaineer Tailgate Show, followed by regular game coverage with Tony Caridi, Dwight Wallace and Jed Drenning at 2:30 p.m. on affiliates throughout West Virginia, online via WVUsports.com as well as the popular app TuneIn on your favorite mobile device.
Here is Saturday's Countdown to Kickoff:
10 - All but one of West Virginia's 26 350-yard passing games over the last TEN years have come from Dana Holgorsen-coached quarterbacks.
9 - Three different West Virginia wide receivers have produced NINE 100-yard receiving games so far this season.
8 - West Virginia's offense has had EIGHT scoring drives of 10 plays or more and has had 27 scoring drives of 70 yards or longer.
7 - SEVEN offensive players played more than 70 plays against Oklahoma State last Saturday.
6 - WVU's defense forced SIX three-and-out possessions against Oklahoma State and 38 now for the season.
5 - The Mountaineers rank FIFTH among all NCAA teams with 104 passing plays of more than 30 yards since 2014.
4 - West Virginia's defense produced a season-high FOUR turnovers during last Saturday against Oklahoma State, including one that resulted in Kenny Robinson's 39-yard interception return for a touchdown.
3 - In West Virginia's last THREE wins against Iowa State, the Mountaineers averaged 256.7 yards per game rushing.
2 - Iowa State is one of only TWO teams in the country this year not to lose a fumble. SMU is the other.
1 - Quarterback Will Grier continues to rank No. ONE in the country in touchdown passes and points responsible for.
Enjoy Saturday's game and be sure to stop back afterward for complete postgame coverage.
The Cyclones storm into Morgantown on the heels of last Saturday's 14-7 upset of fourth-ranked TCU - Iowa State's second win over a top five team this year.
Second-year coach Matt Campbell has Iowa State off to a 4-1 record in league play for the first time in school history with four straight road wins dating back to 2016, the most for a Cyclone team away from Ames since 1971.
More Iowa State history: this year marks the first time in school history Iowa State has defeated top-five-ranked teams twice in the same year, and the Cyclones are seeking a fifth-straight road win for the first time since 1961.
"Iowa State is playing well," West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said. "Everybody that watches any TV or gets on Twitter or whatever understands what they've done the last month ever since that Thursday night game against Texas.
"They had the quarterback change heading into Oklahoma and they've done nothing but have success since then. Give them all the credit in the world; give their coaches credit, give their players credit and give their whole program credit for being in the situation where they're sitting here at 6-2 and 14th in the country - deservedly so," Holgorsen added.
West Virginia fell to 5-3, 3-2, after last Saturday's 50-39 loss to 11th-ranked Oklahoma State at Milan Puskar Stadium. WVU's three losses this year have come against ranked teams - No. 21 Virginia Tech, No. 8 TCU and No. 11 Oklahoma State.
"There's nothing like facing another top-15 opponent," Holgorsen said. "We're excited about that."
The Mountaineers own one victory over a ranked team, defeating No. 24 Texas Tech three weeks ago in Morgantown.
ESPN2 (Mike Patrick, Tommy Tuberville and Paul Carcaterra) will televise the game nationally at 3:30 p.m., while the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG's coverage begins at noon with the Mountaineer Tailgate Show, followed by regular game coverage with Tony Caridi, Dwight Wallace and Jed Drenning at 2:30 p.m. on affiliates throughout West Virginia, online via WVUsports.com as well as the popular app TuneIn on your favorite mobile device.
Here is Saturday's Countdown to Kickoff:
10 - All but one of West Virginia's 26 350-yard passing games over the last TEN years have come from Dana Holgorsen-coached quarterbacks.
9 - Three different West Virginia wide receivers have produced NINE 100-yard receiving games so far this season.
8 - West Virginia's offense has had EIGHT scoring drives of 10 plays or more and has had 27 scoring drives of 70 yards or longer.
7 - SEVEN offensive players played more than 70 plays against Oklahoma State last Saturday.
6 - WVU's defense forced SIX three-and-out possessions against Oklahoma State and 38 now for the season.
5 - The Mountaineers rank FIFTH among all NCAA teams with 104 passing plays of more than 30 yards since 2014.
4 - West Virginia's defense produced a season-high FOUR turnovers during last Saturday against Oklahoma State, including one that resulted in Kenny Robinson's 39-yard interception return for a touchdown.
3 - In West Virginia's last THREE wins against Iowa State, the Mountaineers averaged 256.7 yards per game rushing.
2 - Iowa State is one of only TWO teams in the country this year not to lose a fumble. SMU is the other.
1 - Quarterback Will Grier continues to rank No. ONE in the country in touchdown passes and points responsible for.
Enjoy Saturday's game and be sure to stop back afterward for complete postgame coverage.
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
S
/ FootballGold-Blue Spring Festival Fan Recap
Sunday, April 19
John Neider | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Zac Alley | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Rich Rodriguez | April 18
Saturday, April 18
