Sep 23, 2026 · 1h 5m
Iowa State sees upset path through rain and red-zone defense
Williams & Blum: Blueprint to Iowa State Upsetting Utah
The matchup gives Iowa State a rare home opportunity against a top-15 Utah team, with weather and field position potentially narrowing the gap.
- 1Rain, physicality, and field position could turn Utah’s talent advantage into a low-scoring contest.
- 2Iowa State must sustain its rushing attack, use early play-action, and avoid falling two scores behind.
- 3Red-zone defense, special teams, ball security, and quarterback play may decide the Cyclones’ upset chances.
Don't miss
The hosts revisit Shaky Smithson’s remarkable return-specialist performance against Utah in 2010 as a historical parallel for the matchup.
The brief
Chris Williams and Brent Blum frame Utah as a rare top-15 visitor to Ames, recalling Iowa State’s past opportunities against highly ranked opponents and the stakes of this one.
The hosts argue that rain and a physical style could favor Iowa State, especially if the Cyclones keep the game close and force Utah to operate in uncomfortable conditions.
Utah’s versatile offense, two-quarterback approach, strong run defense, and playmaker Bird Ficklin create a demanding test for Iowa State’s discipline and red-zone coverage.
Iowa State’s path runs through a steady rushing attack, early play-action, crowd pressure, and special teams execution, with wet footballs making field position more valuable.
A memory of Shaky Smithson’s remarkable 2010 performance against Utah gives the preview its standout historical moment before the hosts return to a low-scoring prediction setup.
The broader Big 12 discussion adds weather, coaching continuity, conference games, and an unusual farm report to the central question of whether Iowa State can manufacture an upset.
Featuring
Brent BlumListen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.