AMES, Iowa – No. 16 Iowa State makes its second appearance at the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship game when it faces No. 12 Arizona State for the first time. The Cyclones, winners of three straight games, and the Sun Devils will kick off at AT&T Stadium at 11 a.m. on ABC.

WHO: No. 16 Iowa State (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) vs. No. 12 Arizona State (10-2, 7-2 Big 12)

Where: Arlington, Texas – AT&T Stadium (84,523)

When: Saturday, December 7, 2024 – 11 a.m

TICKETS

The links

REGARD: ABC

PxP: Joe Tessitore; Analyst: Jesse Palmer; Part-time job: Katie George

HEAR: Cyclone Radio Network – University app, TuneIn Radio or radio partner

PxP: John Walters; Analyst: Eric Heft; Supporting Actor: Ryan Harklau

LIVE STATISTICS
IOWA STATE GAME NOTES

FOOTBALL YEARBOOK 2024
MEDIA CENTER

TEN OF THEM
Iowa State reached 10 wins for the first time in the program’s 133-year history when it defeated Kansas State at home last weekend. The Cyclones are looking to win their first conference championship since 1912, one of two conference titles in school history (the other is in 1911).

WITHIN THE SERIES

First meeting

In total: 0-0

Home: 0-0

Street: 0-0

Neutral: 0-0

Campbell vs. ASU: 0-0

Last meeting: N/A

ISU-ASU NOTES

• Iowa State and Arizona State will meet for the first time in program history at Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship game.
• ISU only has one player from Arizona State (Dylan Lee), but perhaps its most notable football alum, Brock Purdy, hails from the state. Purdy grew up in Gilbert, Arizona and attended Perry High School. Purdy holds nearly every passing record in the state of Iowa.
• Iowa State offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser is from Chandler, Arizona. He attended Basha High School, where he played linebacker, kicker, defensive end and tight end.
• As for Texas State, ISU has seven players from the Lone Star State on its roster.
• Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University, graduated from Iowa State University in 1977 and was a professor at ISU from 1988 to 1991. From 1975 to 1977 he was a member of the Cyclone track and field team as a javelin thrower.

Cyclones at the Big 12 Championship
Saturday marks Iowa State’s second championship game appearance in program history. ISU competed in the 2020 Big 12 Championship when COVID reduced capacity and Cyclone fans were largely barred from attending the contest at AT&T Stadium.

In that game, No. 8 Iowa State started slowly and rallied late, but ultimately lost 27-21 to No. 12 Oklahoma. The Sooners led 24-7 at halftime before the Cyclone defense clamped down, forcing OU to punt on its first five drives of the second half. Breece Hall rushed for two touchdowns in the second half as the Cyclones fell short of their first Big 12 title.

You can read the full recap of this game here.

MORE KEY STORIES

• The Cyclones are bowl eligible for the seventh time in nine seasons Matt Campbell.
• Campbell became ISU’s winningest football coach earlier this season, surpassing Dan McCarney’s previous mark. In his ninth season leading the program, he is the third-longest-serving coach in ISU history and is also the third-longest active coach in the Big 12 Conference. In school history, only McCarney (1995-2006) and Clay Stapleton (1958-67) had longer tenures. Campbell owns 50.6 percent of ISU’s all-time Big 12 wins (45 of 89).
• Rocco Becht has thrown a TD pass in 16 straight games, the longest streak in school history. He also becomes just the fifth QB in school history to reach 6,000 career yards. Becht has led the Cyclones to 17 wins over the last two seasons, the best two-year stretch in program history.
• Becht has one of the best wide receiver duos in college football Jayden Higgins And Jaylin Noel. Together, they are the first duo in school history and the only pair nationally to each reach 1,000 receiving yards this season.
• First-year offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser lets the offense click. ISU averages 31.2 points (fifth-highest point total in school history) and has reached the 30-point mark in five of nine Big 12 games. With Becht finding Higgins and Noel in record time, ISU is averaging 258.0 pass yards per game.
• Defense of ISU, under Jon HeacockHe ranks first in the Big 12 in scoring and 18th nationally in scoring at just 19.6 points per game. Those are the fewest points allowed by a Cyclone defense since 2005. The pass defense was stout, yielding just 156.9 yards per game (third nationally). ISU has limited the nation’s top four opponents to fewer than 100 yards passing. In seven games, opponents had fewer than 100 yards rushing or passing.
• The Cyclone defense has a +9 turnover margin, ranking in the top 20 nationally. Seven different Cyclones have combined for 14 interceptions, ranking in the top 20 nationally.

SCOUTING ARIZONA STATE
Led by second-year head coach Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State put together an outstanding 2024 season with a 10-2 record, including a 7-2 mark in league play, after being picked to finish last in the Big 12 preseason poll.

The Sun Devils average 32.1 points and 419.8 yards per game while allowing 21.5 points and 336.6 yards per game to their opponents. ASU’s offense is well balanced, averaging 195 rushing yards and 224.8 passing yards per game.

The Cyclones are no strangers to playing in close games, but so are the Sun Devils. Arizona State is 5-0 in games decided by seven points or fewer (second-most wins in the FBS) and 6-1 overall in games with one score.

On offense, the Sun Devils are led by Cam Skattebo, one of the best running backs in college football. He ranks eighth nationally with 1,398 rushing yards and is the only FBS player with more than 1,200 rushing yards and more than 450 receiving yards this season. Quarterback Sam Leavitt is a threat with both his arm and his feet, with 2,444 passing yards and 350 rushing yards this season. He has thrown 21 touchdowns compared to five interceptions.

On the defensive side of the ball, defensive back Xavion Alford has allowed just seven receptions in over 400 snaps in coverage this season, the fourth fewest in the FBS. Opponents have elected to throw just 3.5 percent of coverage snaps, the third-lowest total among all FBS players. Defensive back Myles Rowser is ASU’s leading tackler this season with 87 tackles, including 3.5 for losses and one sack.

WEEKLY MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Head coach Matt Campbell, Jon Heacock, Jaylin Noel, Jayden Higgins, Jalen Travis, Tyler Onyedim And Jontez Williams met with the media on Tuesday. Check out their interviews below.