2019 ISU Football Bowl tab by GateHouse Media Iowa

CAMPING WORLD BOWL PREVIEW

Ames Tribune Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019

ISU Football Bowl Game Preview • Sunday, December 22, 2019

ISU sees opportunity to enhance brand in Notre Dame matchup By Dylan Montz, Staff Writer dmontz@amestrib.com

hen the Iowa State football team steps onto the field for its third bowl game in as many years next week, it will do so against one of the iconic teams in college football. The gold helmets, the fight song and national brand of Notre Dame are synonymous with success. Opportunities like this don’t come around often. Even when the schedule routinely features 10 games against Power 5 opponents, the Fighting Irish is an entity all its own. As ISU continues to build its own brand in college football, playing a team like Notre Dame is another quantum leap. ISU, which jumped two teams with better overall records to reach the Camping World Bowl, is in this game for a couple reasons. The Cyclones wouldn’t be in this game if they weren’t good, but it goes deeper. Fan and administrative support are the backbone of the program’s brand. “It takes all of us,” ISU coach Matt Campbell said. “That’s one of the things that’s really neat, that this whole thing had the ability to elevate us to a really prominent stage.” The Camping World Bowl, which pits ISU against No. 15 Notre Dame on Dec. 28 (11 a.m./ABC), is another chance in

an extensive lineage for the Fighting Irish (10-2) to showcase all that is good about the program. It can do that for the Cyclones (7-5) too, but on a unique level. Thanks to the Big 12 television packages, ISU is on national television regularly including all 12 games in 2019. Consider a bowl game in late December on network television against Notre Dame, however, and the kind of exposure is almost unquantifiably higher. “It may arguably be the most watched football game Iowa State has ever played in given (Notre Dame’s) national reach,” ISU athletics director Jamie Pollard said. “We can’t underestimate that or downplay that. It is what it is. We’re playing one of the storied programs ever in the history of college football. That’s another wonderful opportunity for our brand.” When Notre Dame was in the midst of its undefeated season last year, which ultimately led to a berth in the College Football Playoff, the viewership of Fighting Irish games on NBC was reportedly up to 3.49 million through seven games— it was the highest mark for a Notre Dame season in six years. That kind of attention could show up in Orlando, Fla., too. When that Notre Dame audience is translated to a The Walt Disney Company neworks, such as ABC or ESPN, it’s likely to follow the national trend of the 2019 season. ESPN networks accounted for 54 percent of the viewing across college football, according to the company, with

ABC generating the highest viewership in most broadcast windows. Of the 45 broadcast windows across 15 weeks, ABC was the highest-viewed network in 18 of them, which is the most of any single station. The value of being on one of the three big networks, and being one of four games on the day, puts the Camping World Bowl, and ISU itself, in a prime position to draw in another large audience. “If there’s a national team in professional football, most people would say it’s the Dallas Cowboys. If there’s a national team in college football, I think most people hands down would say it’s the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish,” said Ray Cole, President of Citadel Communications Company and a former member on the board of governors for ABC Television Network. “For Iowa State to be playing a much higher ranked opponent with that brand and national backing and following of a Notre Dame is pretty darn exciting. This is just a tremendous opportunity for Iowa State, the coaching staff, players and the fans.” Cole was part of the team that coordinated ISU hosting ESPN’s College GameDay for the first time in school history, too. When the weekly college football show was broadcast from the lawn just south of Jack Trice Stadium in September, the fan turnout and broadcast numbers delivered the way ESPN was hoping. See BOWL on page 4

ISU Football Bowl Game Preview • Sunday, December 22, 2019

Iowa State’s matchup against Notre Dame in the Camping World Bowl could be one of the most watched Cyclones games of all time, given the Fighting Irish’s following. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE

ISU Football Bowl Game Preview • Sunday, December 22, 2019

BOWL: ‘To be relevant, to be important, those things are great’ Continued from page 2

The broadcast earned a 1.3 overnight, which was up 8 percent from the previous year, with roughly 1.7 million people tuning in during the threehour show, per an ESPN release. That, in addition to the Camping World Bowl, is a foundational piece of what ISU is attempting to build with its brand. “I think a college football program’s brand is not much different than the brand of most other organizations,” Cole said. “You acquire it by the thimble full, and if you’re not careful, you can lose it by the bucket full. I think what Jamie has set up across the athletic department, but especially within the football program the last couple years, it’s fair to say they’re building the brand. If it’s by the thimble, they’re very large thimbles.” Cole noted that bowl games take notice of fan travel in addition to television viewership when determining selections. Four days after it was selected for the Camping World Bowl, the ISU athletic department announced it had sold out its allotment of 8,000 tickets — the school also sold out its initial allotments for the Liberty and Alamo Bowls, too. Notre Dame, and the exposure it provides, is also the perfect attention-getter for an ISU team that fell with a thud in its regular season finale at Kansas State. The desire and ability to get up for the bowl game, sophomore quarterback Brock Purdy said, should be high. It’s an opportunity not just to finish this season well, but to also springboard into 2020.

“It’s going to be a great test for us to show everybody what Iowa State football is really about,” Purdy said. “We just have to stick to playing our game and not get caught up in all the emotions and what not. I know all of us, especially the seniors, we’re on a mission to set things straight for the season and have them go out the right way.” Said junior safety Greg Eisworth: “Notre Dame is a very prestigious school, a very talented team and I think it’s awesome having our fan base be as strong as they are, they help us in this situation. Iowa State kind of having a brand now I think that speaks volumes to our program and the direction we’re headed.” Recruiting, top-10 wins and fan support, Campbell said, have put ISU in a position to further enhance its national profile in this game particularly. The Camping World Bowl also serves as one of two lead-ins — along with Memphis-Penn State in the Cotton Bowl — to the College Football Playoff semifinals between LSU-Oklahoma and Ohio State-Clemson later that night. “To be relevant, to be important, those things are great and we’ve worked really hard to get there,” Campbell said. “This team has continued that tradition even though the result isn’t always what we want in terms of wins and losses. But what this team has done is proven who it has the ability to be and what it has the ability to become and I think this is a great invitation and representation of that.”

Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy believes the Cyclones are hungry to get back on the field against a top-15 team after the way the regular season ended. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE

ISU Football Bowl Game Preview â&#x20AC;˘ Sunday, December 22, 2019

Fighting Irish offense will be a handful for Cyclones Notre Dame is carrying the most potent offense of the Brian Kelly era into the Camping World Bowl matchup against Iowa State. PHOTO BY NUCCIO DINUZZO/ CHICAGO TRIBUNE/MCT

By Dylan Montz, Staff Writer dmontz@amestrib.com

otre Dame is synonymous with history and success in college football. There have been lean years, just like there is for any program, but the Fighting Irish have regained some of the status they once held with their on-field performances the last few years. Brian Kelly, who has roamed the sideline for the last decade, has led the program to 32 wins in its last 38 games, and has won 10 games each of the last three seasons. Last year included a berth in the Cotton Bowl and College Football Playoffs. When No. 15 Notre Dame meets Iowa State in the Camping World Bowl later this month, it will be the third-straight opponent the Cyclones have played in the postseason in search of 11 wins. Kickoff will be at 11 a.m. (ABC) in Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. See IRISH on page 8

ISU Football Bowl Game Preview • Sunday, December 22, 2019

CAMPING WORLD BOWL ORLANDO, FLA., DEC. 28, 2019

IOWA STATE

75 140.3 YPG 133.8 YPG 318.3 YPG 228.3 YPG 34.1 PPG 25.3 PPG

WINS LOSSES RUSHING OFFENSE RUSHING DEFENSE PASSING OFFENSE PASSING DEFENSE SCORING OFFENSE SCORING DEFENSE

NOTRE DAME

10 2 176.8 YPG 162.1YPG 252.6YPG 163.7 YPG 37.1 PPG 18.7 PPG

ISU Football Bowl Game Preview • Sunday, December 22, 2019

IRISH: Notre Dame is averaging 37.1 ppg, which ranks 13th nationally

Continued from page 5

“We’ll probably all be taking laptops with us (on recruiting trips) in terms of just starting to get a really good idea of this Notre Dame team,” ISU coach Matt Campbell said. “I follow football enough to know they’ve got a great quarterback, they’ve got a really good coach and they’ve got a really good defense. All those other things we’ll go to work on the details of it. “It’s the same process it would be for any opponent but it just so happens we have to do something in recruiting first so we can finish that off the right way.” What Kelly has done with the Fighting Irish, particularly this season, was transform the offense into one of the most potent in the nation. Notre Dame is averaging 37.1 points per game, which ranks 13th nationally and is the highest mark of Kelly’s decade in South Bend. It scores red zone touchdowns on 78.4 percent of its opportunities and is in the top 7 nationally in fewest turnovers committed (11).

“I know the quarterback is pretty good, I’ve seen them off and on here and there, but I’m excited to dive into the film.” Greg Eisworth, ISU safety

Defensively, ISU has held opponents to 25.3 points per game, but is 112th nationally in turnovers gained (13). Quarterback Ian Book is the first Fighting Irish quarterback in school history to pass for 2,500 yards, rush for 500 and throw 30 touchdowns in a single season. Wide receiver Chase Claypool and tight ends Cole Kmet and Tommy Tremble all give book weapons on the outside. “I know the quarterback is pretty good, I’ve seen them off and on here and there,” ISU safety Greg Eisworth said, “but I’m excited to dive into the film.” Notre Dame dealt with injuries up front offensively while running back Jafar Armstrong is starting to come on as a weapon

on the ground. Kelly wants to see that facet of the offense take steps leading up to the bowl game so the unit overall has more balance. “We ran the ball when we wanted to run the ball this year. That’s a big deal,” Kelly said. “When we needed to run clocks out, when we needed to run the football, we ran it when we wanted to. That’s the mark of a good running game. Do we want to be more consistent? Absolutely. Do we want to have bigger opportunities in the running game with explosive plays? We certainly do.” The X-Factor in the CyclonesFighting Irish matchup is the staff shakeup at Notre Dame. Offensive coordinator Chip Long reportedly won’t return to the

Fighting Irish staff, and isn’t expected to coach in the bowl game. On the defensive side, Notre Dame has held 24 of its last 25 opponents to 30 points or less and has given up just 3.09 points per game in the first quarter this season. Defensive lineman Khalie Kareem powers the defensive effort at the line of scrimmage. He has 10 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. The Fighting Irish’s three starting linebackers lead the team in tackles, but safety Alohi Gilman is fourth with 66 stops while adding a sack, interception and two forced fumbles. Jalen Elliott, another safety, has two interceptions and a

pair of pass breakups. Brock Purdy, conversely, has put up one of the best seasons by an ISU quarterback in school history. The sophomore has broken or tied 18 school records, including season records for passing yardage (3,760), passing touchdowns (27), completions (295), total offense (4,025) and 300-yard passing games (6). Purdy, an all-Big 12 secondteam pick, is also a top-five quarterback nationally in passing yards per game (313.3), total offense per game (335.4) and fourth in completions per game (24.6). The second-year starter sees the postseason stage against Notre Dame as another unique challenge in the Cyclones’ learning process. “I feel like growing up, it’s a team I watched play along with all the other programs and stuff,” Purdy said. “To be able to play against such a rich history of a program like Notre Dame is pretty special especially with all the things we’ve been through. To cap off the season with a game like that is going to be really exciting.”

ISU Football Bowl Game Preview • Sunday, December 22, 2019

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

A look back at the Cyclones’ 2019 season By Dylan Montz, Staff Writer dmontz@amestrib.com

owa State is back in a bowl game after a roller coaster regular season that saw the Cyclones lose three games by four points, but win at least seven regular season games for the third-straight year. Coach Matt Campbell and Co. finished with a winning record in Big 12 play and was once again in the top half of the league. Here’s how they got there.

NO. 21 IOWA STATE 29, NORTHERN IOWA 26, 3OT It was a somewhat inauspicious start to a season filled with dreams of a Big 12 title game berth. The Cyclones outgained UNI 174-92 in the first half, but fell behind 13-10 after three quarters when a Brock Purdy fumble was returned 53 yards for a touchdown. Connor Assalley booted a short field goal in the final minute of regulation to tie it, and Brock Purdy recovered a fumble at the oneyard line of the third overtime to preserve the game. Sheldon Croney punched it in to help ISU survive quarterback Will McElvain and the Panthers.

NO. 19 IOWA 18, IOWA STATE 17 ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast its show from Ames for the first time, and the CyHawk rivalry added another memorable chapter to its record. Two weather delays totaling 2 hours, 55 minutes accompanied a defensive struggle that saw ISU lead 7-6 at halftime. The Cyclones led 14-9 after three quarters, scoring on 51 and 73-yard scores, but couldn’t put together consistent drives, allowing the Hawkeyes to climb back with field goals. Iowa went on a field goal inside three minutes, but ISU had a late chance to

Iowa State freshman Breece Hall breaks loose for a run in the Cyclones’ 34-24 win at Texas Tech. PHOTO BY RON BYRD/SPECIAL TO THE AMES TRIBUNE

respond. A muffed punt gave Iowa the ball back with 97 seconds remaining to ice a fifth-straight Hawkeyes win in the series.

IOWA STATE 72, LOUISIANA-MONROE 20 Turnovers ended each of the first two

ISU drives, but the Cyclones left little doubt after that. ISU scored on 12-straight possessions and set a school record for yards in a single game (714). Purdy threw for 435 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for three more. Re-al Mitchell threw and ran for a

touchdown, Jake Hummel added a picksix and Sean Shaw caught two late touchdowns in help the Cyclones win going away. See SEASON on page 10

ISU Football Bowl Game Preview • Sunday, December 22, 2019

SEASON: Iowa State is back in a bowl game after a roller coaster regular season Continued from page 9

BAYLOR 23, IOWA STATE 21 An offense that looked unstoppable against Louisiana-Monroe the week before was almost nonexistent for ISU through three quarters in Waco. Assalley missed two field goals, and crucial interception kept the Cyclones at bay. The Bears scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to lead 20-0. A short Johnnie Lang scamper put ISU on the board and started a furious rally in the final stanza. The sophomore running back caught a touchdown to cut the deficit to six, and after a second-straight stop by the defense, Purdy found Charlie Kolar for a 20-yard scoring pass and a 21-20 lead with 3 minutes, 45 seconds left. ISU couldn’t get a third stop, however,

and the Bears kicked a 38-yard game winner with 21 seconds left.

IOWA STATE 49, TCU 24 Coming off a choppy offensive performance, the Cyclones wasted no time against the Horned Frogs, scoring three firsthalf touchdowns to lead 21-3 at the break. O’Rien Vance powered the defense from the middle, tallying 8 tackles with 6.5 sacks on the season. Enyi Uwazurike scored a defensive touchdown off a Horned Frogs fumble. Iowa native and TCU quarterback Max Duggan utilized his dual-threat ability to cut the deficit to 35-24 in the fourth quarter, but ISU was able to cap drives with rushing touchdowns by Purdy and Lang to give the Cyclones their first Big 12 win. Continued on next page

Tayvonn Kyle and Mike Rose team up to tackle Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts in the Sooners’ 42-41 victory on Saturday in Norman, Okla. PHOTO BY RON BYRD/SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE

ISU Football Bowl Game Preview • Sunday, December 22, 2019

IOWA STATE 38, WEST VIRGINIA 14

11 ball touchdown from Purdy to Deshaunte Jones, became a 21-20 deficit to the Longhorns. It looked like an outcome that ISU had experienced several times earlier this season. Special teams, however, saved the day. Steve Wirtel drew an offsides on a long field goal attempt for Brayden Narveson, giving the Cyclones a chance to move closer. Assalley booted a 36-yard field goal as time expired, giving Campbell his first win against Texas and bowl eligibility for the thirdstraight year.

Another slow start plagued ISU when Purdy’s pass, intended for Kene Nwangwu, was bobbled then picked off and returned for a touchdown. The difference this time, however, was that the Cyclones found some stability on the ground with a highly touted freshman. Breece Hall rushed 26 times for 132 yards and three touchdowns in the win, establishing himself as the go-to back. The Mountaineers tied the game at 14-all going into the break, but the Cyclones outscored them 24-0 in the second half for their second-straight Big 12 win.

IOWA STATE 41, KANSAS 31 The Cyclones, on paper, looked certain to overwhelm the Jayhawks for the ninth time this decade and walk away with another win. Kansas had other ideas, and took a lead into the fourth quarter in an attempt to win in Ames for the first time since 2008. After a sleepy first half, the action ramped up late in the third and into the fourth as Kansas and ISU traded touchdowns. The Cyclones regained the lead in the late stages of the final period and extended their lead to 10 after stopping the Jayhawks on fourth down. Purdy powered the effort, and was responsible for five touchdowns in the win.

IOWA STATE 34, TEXAS TECH 24 The Cyclones flipped the script from their previous trip to Texas, jumping out to a 20-0 lead in the first half. Kolar and La’Michael Pettway were mismatches against the Red Raiders’ defense, and Purdy was 23 of 32 for 378 yards and three touchdowns. Hall had an encore as the primary back that rivaled his breakout. He rushed 19 times for 183 yards and two touchdowns — the freshman also caught three passes for 73 yards. The win was ISU’s fourth-straight in the series against Texas Tech.

OKLAHOMA STATE 34, NO. 23 IOWA STATE 27

Iowa State kicker Connor Assalley kicks the game-winning 36-yard field goal as time expired in the Cyclones’ 23-21 triumph against Texas on Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES

Three big plays surrendered and fourth-quarter turnovers handed ISU its first loss in the month of October since 2016. Tylan Wallace, Braydon Johnson and Chuba Hubbard all made the Cyclones pay in the first half, helping the Cowboys jump out to a 21-10 lead. ISU crawled back into contention on Assalley field goals and Hall touchdown runs to knot the game at 27-all, but the Cyclones watched the result slip through their fingers. Purdy, who

TRIBUNE

attempted 62 passes, threw three interceptions — including one for a touchdown — in the final seven minutes to haul the October winning streak at 10 games.

NO. 9 OKLAHOMA 42, IOWA STATE 41 The Sooners wasted no time showcasing their offensive firepower, jumping out to a multiscore lead in the first 5 minutes,

32 seconds of the night game in Norman. Oklahoma, behind Heisman finalist Jalen Hurts, went up three touchdowns twice — including once in the third quarter — and appeared like it would hand ISU its largest loss in almost three years. Purdy, however, engineered a rhythmic scoring output in the fourth quarter, scoring 20 unanswered points, the last of which

came with 24 seconds remaining. Matt Campbell elected to go for two and the win, but Purdy’s pass to Pettway was batted down to preserve the win for Oklahoma, who would go on to win the Big 12 and make the College Football Playoff.

IOWA STATE 23, NO. 22 TEXAS 21 A 20-7 lead for the Cyclones, which included a 75-yard deep

KANSAS STATE 27, IOWA STATE 17 The Wildcats returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and clamped down on all facets of ISU’s action, particularly at the line of scrimmage, most of the night. Kansas State rushed for 231 yards and scored the final 13 points of the night. Purdy was uncomfortable most of the night, going 15 of 30 passing for 185 yards and a touchdown in the loss, but the Cyclones found a couple future stars in the process. Will McDonald had two sacks and Sean Shaw caught his fifth touchdown pass of the year.

ISU Football Bowl Game Preview â&#x20AC;¢ Sunday, December 22, 2019