PETE: Which of the 7 wins is Iowa State’s most significant, from a CFP standpoint?

I get why the national media has been slow to catch up with Iowa State Football-2024. Wary of a meager early-season schedule that includes winning at Iowa as the most significant success (thus far), they’re reluctant getting too high just yet on Matt Campbell’s ninth season.

Along these lines, I watched last Saturday’s college football warmup shows on ESPN and FOX, considering Iowa State didn’t play (again) until 6:30 p.m. I noticed that ESPN’s College GameDay did a few minutes on Iowa State within the first hour of its show.

Baby steps.

One of the hosts even mentioned Campbell, Bill Snyder and Kansas State in the same sentence.

Major steps.

Finally, they’re being forced to realize what we’ve known for a while. The Cyclones’ program is for real. There’s no reason Ames can’t be the next mid-sized Big 12 Midwestern town that consistently harvests national big-time college football, like Snyder-coached Kansas State teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s did in Manhattan.

How long have we suspected this? So long ago, that I even interviewed one of the Big 12 Conference’s veteran journalists, former Oklahoman columnist Berry Tramel – on that very topic, back in 2019.

“It’s a great success story,” Tramel told me at that summer’s Big 12 Media Day at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. “I hope it’s another Bill Snyder success story (like at Kansas State), where Campbell stays at Iowa State for a very long time.”

Snyder inherited a program in 1989 that had just suffered through consecutive winless seasons. Ten seasons later, in 1998, Kansas State went 11-0 and was ranked No. 1 nationally before losing against Texas A&M in the Big 12 title game.

A midwestern school can’t be thought of along with college football’s big guys? Pshaw. Kansas State was doing it – just 5 ½ hours or so south of Iowa State’s campus. And now the Cyclones appear headed along that same highway.

“Campbell now has five more years of program building and loyalty,” Tramel, now of the Tulsa World, told me when I reached out again this week. “He’s building something special.”

In 2016, Campbell took over a program that won just eight games over the previous three seasons. Five years later, his Cyclones were in the Big 12 title game and New Year’s Six Fiesta Bowl. His team featured likes of Brock Purdy, Breece Hall, Charlie Kolar, Mike Rose, JaQuan Bailey, and Anthony Johnson, among others. Expectations were high -- as they’re becoming with each 2024 victory.

Campbell’s 7-0, 10th-ranked team is one of nine Top 25 unbeatens, a list that includes Army and Navy. They’re in some College Football Playoffs predictions.

There’s also the meat of the schedule yet to play. Five opponents remain after Saturday’s bye weekend. Four have winning overall records, including one-loss Kansas State.

Come out of all that successfully, and guaranteed – you’ll read and hear more of the Bill Snyder-Kansas State conversation, and how it equates to Matt Campbell and Iowa State.

**

THE RED ZONE

First down: Watching Texas students pelt the field with partially-filled bottles Saturday reminded me of Iowa State’s 2021 game at Texas Tech. Red Raiders students, angry at the refs in the fourth quarter on a hot afternoon in Lubbock, were removed from the stadium, following what seemed like a lengthy delay. Water bottles pelted the Cyclones’ sidelines. Students allowed to stay, had to move from one stadium section to another. It was a mess. And all this happened before Tech won on a walk-off 62-yard field goal. Longhorns students showed their displeasure in a similar way during last Saturday’s home game against Georgia.

Second down: I saw ESPN’s College Football Playoff show Tuesday night. There was no news broken, considering the playoff committee’s first official ratings come out on Nov. 5. Using the most recent AP rankings, 10th-ranked Iowa State was the 4-seed, as the projected fourth-highest ranked conference champion. Something stuck with me, when top-shelf analyst Heather Dinich mentioned how the committee views injuries. We all know how that group views injuries, and if you don’t believe it, just ask Florida State. The context Tuesday night was the thumb injury to Indiana quarterbackKurtis Rourke, but that got me wondering: What’s the committee think about Iowa State’s injured linebacker situation? My initial thought was nothing, should the Cyclones be an at-large consideration. This position hasn’t been at 100 percent yet – and still hasn’t lost a game -- since last season.

Third down: For the first time since 2007, there aren't any undefeated SEC teams into the Halloween season. That’s no misprint.

Fourth down: Interesting that sports programming, like college football games, has become a place for presidential television commercials. Also interesting that the Nov. 5 televised released of the College Football Playoffs ratings coincides with election day. I know what will be on the big TV at my place.

**

HERE WE GO: The (alleged) experts sound off.

And if anyone wants to tabulate how we’ve done so far this season – please, be my guest.

**

NORTHWESTERN (1-3, 3-4) at IOWA (2-2, 4-3)

2:30 p.m., BTN

Randy Peterson: I saw a statistic someplace that’s interesting. The Hawkeyes are 4-0 when running for 220 yards or more. They’re 0-3 when they don’t. Opponents have rushed for an average of 103 yards against the Cats. Iowa has something to prove, after rushing for just 133 yards last Saturday at Michigan State. They’ll be on a ground-attack mission, considering they can’t successfully pass.  Iowa 27, Northwestern 17.

Chris Hassel: I don’t think Northwestern is as bad as most think (including Vegas bookmakers). Kinnick will be pretty apathetic and the boos will reign down if Cade misses more throws. Iowa is still the better team. Iowa 27, Northwestern 16.

Keith Murphy: Hawkeyes can either fold up the season or respond with a homecoming W. I think they'll respond. Iowa whips a subpar Northwestern team. Iowa 27, Northwestern 10.

Matt Van Winkle: Northwestern is not good. But Iowa's offense is reeling right now. The Hawks should win this one easily if they play to their strengths: Kaleb Johnson. Defense will get a score in this one. With the CFP out the window, I'd love to see Sullivan get more first team reps as he will likely be the guy next season. Iowa 24, Northwestern 10.

Chris Williams: Feels like Iowa will win going away giving the fan base hope, only to have it shattered the next time they play a team with a pulse.Iowa 31, Northwestern 10 

Andrew Downs: Iowa wins with, and despite, Cade McNamara at quarterback. A pissed off defense makes a difference. Iowa 27, Northwestern 10.

Jake Brend: This feels similar to the Washington game. Northwestern stinks, and Kirk Ferentz is great after losses. A vintage culture game, as Iowa rolls. Iowa 33, Northwestern 13.

**

ILLINOIS at OREGON

Peterson: Oregon 33, Illinois 24.

Hassel: Oregon 30, Illinois 10.

Murphy: Oregon 38, Illinois 17.

Van Winkle: Oregon 34, Illinois 17.

Williams: Oregon 30, Illinois 21

Downs:Oregon 31, Illinois 20

Brend: Oregon 33, Illinois Oregon 31, 

**

NEBRASKA at OHIO STATE

Peterson: Ohio State 41, Nebraska 17.

Hassel: Ohio State 40, Nebraska 17.

Murphy: Ohio State 45, Nebraska 10.

Van Winkle: Ohio State 42, Nebraska 20.

Williams: Ohio State 38, Nebraska 10

Downs: Ohio State 40, Nebraska 17.

Brend: Ohio State 40, Nebraska 17.

**

KANSAS at KANSAS STATE

Peterson: Kansas State 34, Kansas 24

Hassel: Kansas State 23, Kansas 20.

Murphy: Kansas State 35, Kansas 24.

Van Winkle: Kansas State 35, Kansas 28.

Williams: Kansas State 27, Kansas 21.

Downs: Kansas State 31, Kansas 24.

Brend: Kansas State 34, Kansas 21.

**

BYU at UCF

Peterson: UCF 24, BYU 21.

Hassel: BYU 24, UCF 20.

Murphy: UCF 31, BYU 28.

Van Winkle: UCF 27, BYU 24.

Williams: UCF 24, BYU 21

Downs: BYU 30, UCF 21.

Brend: UCF 24, BYU 17.

**

CINCINNATI at COLORADO

Peterson: Colorado 27, Cincinnati 24.

Hassel: Colorado 20, Cincinnati 20.

Murphy: Colorado 35, Cincinnati 28.

Van Winkle: Colorado 24, Cincinnati 21.

Williams: Colorado 28, Cincinatti 20

Downs: Colorado 35, Cincinnati 27.

Brend: Colorado 40, Cincinnati 30.

**

PENN STATE at WISCONSIN

Peterson: Penn State 30, Wisconsin 20.

Hassel: Wisconsin 24, Penn State 23.

Murphy: Penn State 28, Wisconsin 21.

Van Winkle: Penn State 28, Wisconsin 20.

Williams: Penn State 27, Wisconsin 17

Downs:Penn State 42, Wisconsin 6.

Brend: Penn State 27, Wisconsin 13.

(Randy Peterson can be reached at randypete4846@gmail.com or at any Okoboji-area beverage/food establishment between the hours of open and close)