PETE: It’s up to Iowa State to carry the torch for the Big 12’s proud legacy football programs

Sure, Iowa State can win its first conference football championship game, and yes, the Cyclones can join 11 other teams in the College Football Playoffs.

We know that. Here’s one more that may have escaped you when analyzing and over-thinking how to stop Arizona State’s running back extraordinaire, Cam Scattebo, while wondering how many touchdowns and yards Rocco Becht must throw, for the Cyclones to be successful in the 11 a.m., game in Arlington, Texas, and while scratching your head at the latest CFP rankings.

Also on the line Saturday at JerryWorld is keeping for as long as possible, the championship trophy in the hands of a Big 12 legacy school.

Maybe that’s just me, but what kind of message would it send if one of the Big 12’s newbies from the Pac-12, like Arizona State, walked away with the title during its first season in the league?

What’s that say to the others generally considered conference legacy schools – to Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU and West Virginia – that a team that hadn’t won a Pac-12 football title in nearly two decades, suddenly can be one-for-one in the Big 12?

That may be a warped way to look at Saturday’s game that’s on ABC, and it’s probably a storyline that won’t be talked about much (if at all) during broadcasts that often are more public relations than behind the scenes, but it’s a real thing – just like it’s reality that newcomers could win Big Ten, SEC, ACC and AAC championship games, too.

Five newbies winning conference title?

Ouch.

Would commissioner Brett Yormark prefer awarding the trophy on Saturday to a school that’s paid its dues many times over, or a Big 12 rookie?

Don’t answer that.

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Here’s a more popular, warm-and-fuzzy storyline that broadcasters will push down our throats:

I listened to Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham’s presser Monday. Was I listening to Matt Campbell’s younger brother? From philosophies to successes, the coaches of teams competing for the Big 12 championship Saturday have more in common than sharing a profession. That commonality especially struck when asked what is sought on the recruiting trail:

“The recruiting of guys that want to fit this culture, not the recruitment of the best players . . . which is two different things.”

Was that Campbell or Dillingham?

It was Dillingham – with the same recruiting narrative Campbell has given in each of his nine Iowa State seasons.

And this, when talking about what Saturday’s 11 a.m., game really means:

“It’s a reward for success – of finding ways to win. Best teams don’t always win. Most talented teams don’t always win, but the way we define sport, is through winning. If you can find ways to win, that’s the reward -- finding different ways to win.”

Again, that was Dillingham echoing Campbell’s, “we have to win in the margins.”

Here’s another:

“Everybody counted us out, but we didn’t flinch, didn’t waver. We just kept fighting.”

That was Campbell after his team’s victory against Utah. Here’s Dillingham from Monday’s press conference:

“You’re one game away from accomplishing something that people said couldn’t be done. That’s significant.”

I thought about that, as Dillingham talked about visiting an Iowa State practice, back when he was an assistant at Auburn.

“That was a program that I wanted to study from, because I thought they were overachieving at that time early in (Campbell’s) career at a high level -- before he built it up to now. Now, they’re achieving a high level consistently.

“What I took away was the realness of the culture. I’m like man, he’s joking around over here with a dude, then he gets to the front of the room and he demands success. This culture that he created – it’s sustainable. I felt like this is a winning formula.

“I was trying to get a vibe on how did he create this culture. His genuineness is infectious. That’s how he’s had that success. He’s real. The guys saw his passion, because he lives it.”

I don’t know Dillingham, but I suspect he’s got a lot of genuineness about him, too.

Those are common beliefs among a lot of major football coaches. It just piqued my interest, that coaches with no real personal ties to each other, coaches from different geographic parts of the United States – Dillingham who grew up and played high school ball in Arizona, and Campbell who did all that in Ohio – have very similar beliefs.

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THE RED ZONE

First down: I've got a solution to all the bickering about strength of schedule, the eye test and who benefitted the most from obese conference scheduling loop holes. Let's go back to just two teams competing for the college football championship.

Second down: Dillingham spread his $200,000 bonus for winning nine games among his staff. Sound familiar? You much be remembering when Campbell helped his assistant coaches offset a portion of the 10% salary reduction they absorbed during the athletic department’s temporary COVID-19 salary cuts in 2020. There’s another similarity between the coaches.

Third down: "That's got to be my favorite player in college football, man," former coach Nick Saban said on last weekend’s college football GameDay telecast. "This guy is rugged, tough. I mean, I just love a great competitor. He's all that." About whom was he talking? That’d be ASU 1,000-yard rusher Cam Skattebo.

Fourth down: Former Cyclones quarterback Hunter Dekkers, now slinging balls at always-good Iowa Western CC, leads the Division-I JC ranks with 294.5 passing yards a game. He’s third in TD passes with 27. His team hosts NW Mississippi CC in the JC playoff’s semifinal round on Friday night.

Iowa Everywhere’s alleged experts spout off

IOWA STATE-ARIZONA STATE

11 a.m., ABC, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Peterson: Iowa State’s defensive Achilles heel, besides its own injuries, are high-end running backs and quarterbacks also with an ability to rush. Eight opponents have 100 or more yards rushing, starting with Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson’s 187. The eight include UCF quarterback Jacurri Brown, who rushed for 154 yards against the Cyclones. Saturday, Iowa State will be contending with running back Cam Scattebo, who enters the game with 1,398 rushing yards, and quarterback Sam Leavitt, with almost 2,500 passing yards and another 350 on the ground. Becht and his receivers could make up for it, against a very average pass defense, and that’s where the Cyclones win the game. IOWA STATE 38, ASU 35 (OT).

Hassel:I’ve picked against the Cyclones the last 2 weeks and they’ve proven me wrong. But I’m doing it again. I’m just not sure how they contain Skattebo. Arizona State has been the more consistent team over the last month, so I trust them more than Iowa State. ASU 28, IOWA STATE 26. 

Williams:Big hit for Arizona State to be without its top receiver. I feel like Iowa State’s offense might out-perform playing indoors compared to what it has experienced for most of the last month and a half. Cam Scattebo is insane, but Iowa State’s defense generally fares well against semi one-dimensional teams. It feels like Iowa State has unfinished business in Arlington. IOWA STATE 27, ASU 23.

Murphy: I had planned to pick Arizona State, but I think the loss of receiver Jordyn Tyson is that big of a loss for ASU. Makes the Sun Devils much more one dimensional, and Cam Scattebo will still be a load. IOWA STATE 31, ASU 28.

Downs: Why not?IOWA STATE 28, ASU 24.

Van Winkle: Iowa State has won three straight and is finding its rhythm. We still haven't seen the best of this offense, but I expect Rocco Becht to have his best game as a Cyclone on the biggest stage of his young career. The Cyclone defense will find a way to limit Cam Skattebo and force Levitt to throw into one of the best secondaries in the league. IOWA STATE 34, ASU 24.

Brend: Rocco Becht hasn’t played an all-around good game since mid-October in Morgantown. It’s now or never for him to step up. Normal dome conditions help his cause. Cam Skattebo runs for 150 but ASU can’t make up for the loss of Jordyn Tyson in the fourth quarter. Party like it’s 1912. Iowa State 31, Arizona State 27.

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UNLV-BOISE STATE

(Mountain West championship)

Peterson: Boise State 32, UNLV 27.

Hassel: Boise State 30, UNLV 27.

Williams: Boise State 24, UNLV 20.

Murphy: Boise State 28, UNLV 21.

Downs: Boise State 31, UNLV 21.

Van Winkle: UNLV 31, Boise State 28.

Brend: Boise State 27, UNLV 17.

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TULANE-ARMY

(AAC championship)

Peterson: Tulane 31, Army 27.

Hassel: Tulane 34, Army 21.

Williams: Tulane 23, Army 21.

Murphy: Tulane 24, Army 17.

Downs: Tulane 24, Army 17.

Van Winkle: Tulane 38, Army 28.

Brend: Tulane 20, Army 17.

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GEORGIA-TEXAS

(SEC championship)

Peterson: Texas 31, Georgia 24.

Hassel: Georgia 23, Texas 20.

Williams: Georgia 21, Texas 20.

Murphy: Georgia 38, Texas 28.

Downs: Georgia 27, Texas 24.

Van Winkle: Georgia 27, Texas 21.

Brend: Georgia 31, Texas 23.

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PENN STATE-OREGON

(Big Ten championship)

Peterson: Penn State 27, Oregon 24.

Hassel: Oregon 28, Penn State 27.

Williams: Oregon 34, Penn State 31.

Murphy: Oregon 35, Penn State 24.

Downs: Oregon 38, Penn State 27.

Van Winkle: Oregon 31, Penn State 27.

Brend: Oregon 26, Penn State 13.

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CLEMSON-SMU

(ACC championship)

Peterson: SMU 38, Clemson 27.

Hassel: SMU 27, Clemson 24.

Williams: SMU 27, Clemson 24.

Murphy: SMU 31, Clemson 27.

Downs: Clemson 31, SMU 24.

Van Winkle: Clemson 24, SMU 14.

Brend: Clemson 23, SMU 17.