# 2019 Iowa State Cyclones football team

The 2019 Iowa State Cyclones football team represented Iowa State University in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cyclones competed as members of the Big 12 Conference and were led by fourth-year head coach Matt Campbell. They played their home games at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.

## Preseason
### Coaching changes

In January 2019, head coach Matt Campbell announced that Tom Manning would return as offensive coordinator. He had served in that role for the Cyclones in Campbell's first two years in 2016 and 2017, but worked as the tight ends coach for the Indianapolis Colts during the 2018 season. Campbell also announced the addition of former West Virginia defensive backs coach Matt Caponi as a defensive assistant.

### Big 12 media poll

The 2019 Big 12 media days were held July 15–16, 2019 in Frisco, Texas. In the Big 12 preseason media poll, Iowa State was predicted to finish in third in the standings.
Big 12 media poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Oklahoma | 761 (68) |
| 2 | Texas | 696 (9) |
| 3 | Iowa State | 589 |
| 4 | TCU | 474 |
| 5 | Oklahoma State | 460 |
| 6 | Baylor | 453 |
| 7 | Texas Tech | 281 |
| 8 | West Virginia | 241 |
| 9 | Kansas State | 191 |
| 10 | Kansas | 89 |

### Preseason All-Big 12 teams

To be released

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 11:00 a.m. | No. 18 (FCS) Northern Iowa* | No. 21 | Jack Trice StadiumAmes, IA | FS1 | W 29–26 $^{3OT}$ | 61,500 |
| September 14 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 19 Iowa* | | Jack Trice StadiumAmes, IA (Cy-Hawk Trophy / College GameDay) | FS1 | L 17–18 | 61,500 |
| September 21 | 11:00 a.m. | Louisiana–Monroe* | | Jack Trice StadiumAmes, IA | FS1 | W 72–20 | 57,442 |
| September 28 | 2:30 p.m. | at Baylor | | McLane StadiumWaco, TX | ESPN | L 21–23 | 42,359 |
| October 5 | 1:00 p.m. | TCU | | Jack Trice StadiumAmes, IA | ESPN2 | W 49–24 | 59,553 |
| October 12 | 3:00 p.m. | at West Virginia | | Mountaineer FieldMorgantown, WV | ESPN | W 38–14 | 51,836 |
| October 19 | 11:00 a.m. | at Texas Tech | | Jones AT&T StadiumLubbock, TX | FS1 | W 34–24 | 52,315 |
| October 26 | 2:30 p.m. | Oklahoma State | No. 23 | Jack Trice StadiumAmes, IA | FS1 | L 27–34 | 61,500 |
| November 9 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 9 Oklahoma | | Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | FOX | L 41–42 | 83,541 |
| November 16 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 19 Texas | | Jack Trice StadiumAmes, IA | FS1 | W 23–21 | 58,946 |
| November 23 | 11:00 a.m. | Kansas | No. 22 | Jack Trice StadiumAmes, IA | FSN | W 41–31 | 58,210 |
| November 30 | 6:00 p.m. | at Kansas State | No. 23 | Bill Snyder Family Football StadiumManhattan, KS (rivalry) | FS1 | L 17–27 | 48,990 |
| December 28 | 11:00 a.m. | vs. No. 15 Notre Dame* | | Camping World StadiumOrlando, FL (Camping World Bowl) | ABC | L 9–33 | 46,948 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll and CFP Rankings after November 5 released prior to gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||
Source:
* ↑ Changed from 11:00 a.m. kickoff due to inclement weather.

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

Staff for the 2019 season.
| Name | Position | Alma Mater | Seasons at ISU |
| Matt Campbell | Head coach | Mount Union, 2002 | 4th |
| Jon Heacock | Defensive Coordinator, Safeties | Muskingum, 1983 | 4th |
| Tom Manning | Offensive coordinator | Mount Union | 3rd |
| Nathan Scheelhaase | Wide Receivers | Illinois, 2013 | 2nd |
| Alex Golesh | Tight Ends, Recruiting Coordinator | Ohio State, 2006 | 4th |
| Joel Gordon | Quarterbacks | Shepherd, 2003 | 4th |
| D.K. McDonald | Cornerbacks | Edinboro, 2001 | 4th |
| Eli Rasheed | Defensive Line | Indiana, 1996 | 4th |
| Tyson Veidt | Assistant Head Coach, Linebackers | Muskingum, 1996 | 4th |
| Rudy Wade | Strength and Conditioning | Ball State, 2001 | 4th |

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
| AP | 21 | 25-T | RV | RV | RV | — | RV | RV | 23 | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | — |
| Coaches | 24 | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | — | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | RV | RV | RV | — |
| CFP | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | — | 22 | 23 | — | — | Not released |

## Game summaries
### Northern Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | 3OT | Total |
| No. 18 (FCS) Panthers | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 26 |
| No. 21 Cyclones | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 29 |
Referee Scott Campbell

### Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 19 Hawkeyes | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 18 |
| Cyclones | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 17 |

### Louisiana–Monroe

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Warhawks | 0 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
| Cyclones | 14 | 13 | 21 | 24 | 72 |

### At Baylor

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cyclones | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 21 |
| Bears | 0 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 23 |

### TCU

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Horned Frogs | 0 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 24 |
| Cyclones | 7 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 49 |

### At West Virginia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cyclones | 0 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 38 |
| Mountaineers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |

### At Texas Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cyclones | 7 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 34 |
| Red Raiders | 0 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 24 |

### Oklahoma State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 7 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 34 |
| No. 23 Cyclones | 0 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 27 |

### At Oklahoma

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cyclones | 7 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 41 |
| No. 9 Sooners | 14 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 42 |
Both Iowa State and Oklahoma lost their previous games. Oklahoma could still be in the playoff chase by winning the remainder of their games and winning the Big 12 conference championship game. Predictions call that the Oklahoma Defense will need to slow the Cyclone offense to win the game. Coming into the game, it is listed as one of the most "compelling matchups" for the week by MSN Sports.

### Texas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 19 Longhorns | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| Cyclones | 7 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 23 |

### Kansas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jayhawks | 6 | 3 | 15 | 7 | 31 |
| No. 22 Cyclones | 7 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 41 |

### At Kansas State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 23 Cyclones | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 27 |
Game conditions were cold and windy for the 2019 edition of "Farmageddon". Iowa State entered the game as the least-penalized team in the Big 12 Conference, but were charged with 8 penalties to Kansas State's 2 when two programs met in Manhattan. The Cyclones also struggled on third down, only converting 1 attempt at 13.
Kansas State's Joshua Youngblood returned a kick for a touchdown on the first play of the game. That placed him at the top of the NCAA for three touchdown returns in the season this year.
During the third quarter, each team managed a field goal but very little more happened offensively. In the fourth quarter, Kansas State managed to pull ahead 24-17 with an eight-play drive rushing drive ending in a touchdown with 10:24 left in the game. After that, Iowa State punter Joe Rivera kicked just 17 yards on fourth down, which Kansas State was able to turn in to a field goal and put the score out of reach for the Cyclones. The final score was Kansas State 27, Iowa State 17.
After the game and 7-5 regular season record, CBS Sports bowl expert Jerry Palm projected that Iowa State will play Kentucky in the 2019 Liberty Bowl.

### Vs. Notre Dame (Camping World Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 15 Fighting Irish | 10 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 33 |
| Cyclones | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 9 |

## TV ratings

| Opponent | Outlet | Viewers | Rating |
| Northern Iowa | FS1 | 493K | 0.31 |
| Iowa | FS1 | 1.17M | 0.6 |
| Louisiana Monroe | FS1 | 159K | † |
| @ Baylor | ESPN | 1.25M | 0.8 |
| TCU | ESPN2 | 403K | 0.27 |
| @ West Virginia | ESPN | 1.57M | 1.0 |
| @ Texas Tech | FS1 | 343K | 0.23 |
| Oklahoma State | FS1 | 529K | 0.32 |
| @ Oklahoma | FOX | 3.17M | 1.9 |
| Texas | FS1 | 1.07M | 0.6 |
| Kansas | FSN | † | † |
| @ Kansas State | FS1 | 642K | 0.34 |
| vs. Notre Dame | ABC | 4.17M | 2.65 |
All totals via Sports Media Watch. Streaming numbers not included. † - Data not available.