The Kansas Jayhawks play host to the Iowa State Cyclones in a crucial Big 12 matchup on Saturday afternoon from David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The Jayhawks are off to one of their best starts in school history and while they've been the talk of the college football world, know that they need to translate that success into conference play. For the Cyclones, a loss last week to the Bears halted an undefeated start, as they aim to get back to their winning ways. The Cyclones have won ten in a row between the two teams and after last year's 52-point win, the Jayhawks will be looking to flip the script.
Iowa State surprised some when they took down Iowa in the non-conference slate, though a loss last week has them hoping it doesn't turn into a losing streak. Against the Bears last week, it was a case of turning things around too little too late and they'll need to start stronger on Saturday. Going on the road hasn't been easy for this group over the last few years and while Kansas isn't known as having the craziest gameday atmosphere, another sellout seems to be on the horizon. Starting 0-2 in the Big 12 would be a rough start, especially with the teams coming up over the next few weeks, but the Cyclones can't take the Jayhawks as easy as they have in past years.
One advantage for the Cyclones is they've been able to stay far healthier than the majority of their opponents this season. Jake Remsburg (knee) is questionable on the offensive line and considering he is yet to appear in a game this season, it's clear he could be useful back in the lineup.
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Offensively, the Cyclones aren't quite as explosive as they have been in past seasons. They only rank 80th nationally in scoring and will need to find ways to generate more offense and keep pace with Kansas. Controlling the ball on the ground has been a struggle for this group and with the best way to beat Kansas being keeping their offense off the field, controlling the clock will be key. Xavier Hutchinson (403 receiving yards, 5 touchdowns) is a force on the outside and with the strong quarterback play, can be a difference-maker in this one.
The Cyclones have turned some heads on the defensive side of things this season, though playing Iowa, South Dakota State, and Ohio, is bound to improve those stats. Kansas will present a whole new challenge to this group and it'll start with the nation's seventh-ranked rushing defense to set the tone. If they can force the Jayhawks into relying on the aerial attack, it could play perfe ctly into the Cyclones' favor.