The 2013 season for the Iowa State University football team was a disappointment, to say the least. Recording only three wins, the Cyclones took a major step back, especially since they were just one year removed from an appearance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Granted they lost to the University of Tulsa, 31-17, and it wasn’t a Bowl Championship Series (BCS) appearance, but hey, they have to start somewhere.
Since Paul Rhoads became head coach in 2009, Iowa State has managed no less than five wins—until 2013. In his first year, Rhoads guided the Cyclones to seven wins, and a berth in the Insight Bowl where they earned a “W” over Minnesota, 14-13. The program followed that up with five wins in 2010-2011, before two straight six-win seasons. The Cyclones then decided to pump the brakes, turn the car around, and head in the opposite direction. They began last season with a loss against a member of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision—Northern Iowa. Finally, in their third game, a win (and some revenge) was finally chalked up against Tulsa. And that was the only win on the calendar until the second-to-last week of the season. Even with the despair, the Cyclones liked to set new standards in 2013. They set a school-record season attendance mark of 55,361. But you ask, “They only had one home win?” Yes, they did, but the fans love their football.
Furthermore, ISU ended the season for the first time since 2000 with back-to-back Big 12 victories. That included a 34-0 domination of the Kansas Jayhawks, the fourth-largest shutout of a conference opponent in school history. Then, hitting the road in the season’s final week, they defeated West Virginia 52-44 in triple overtime. However, the game was not without some history, as the Cyclones, once trailing by 24, staged the school’s biggest come-from-behind victory. Heading into 2014, there is reason to get excited in Ames as they begin to prep for the Cyclone Gridiron Club spring game on April 12. ISU owns a two-game winning streak, so there is some momentum on their side. Also, even though, by many accounts, ISU recorded the worst ranked recruiting class in the Big 12, a blue-chip wideout named Allen Lazard headlines the talent coming in. He is an ESPN 300 prospect who also received offers from Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Stanford. And he chose to become a part of Cyclone Nation (what a steal). Being from Urbandale, Iowa had to make his decision a little easier. Nonetheless, if Lazard is as good as advertised, new offensive coordinator Mark Mangino adds a dynamic wideout to pair with the No. 1 receiver on the depth chart, Quenton Bundrage. The regular season for the Cyclones begins August 30 versus North Dakota State University at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. There will be one question on the mind of all Cyclones fans: “Will we be better?” |
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