Speaker 1: It's time to celebrate the freggest team sport known to man,
where modern day gladiators collide for all the glory on
the Gridi. Let's talk some college football on Cougar Sports
with Benkretle.
Speaker 2: Welcome back Cougar Sports. One of three, nine ninety eight
point three ESPN The Fan. I'm been criminal broadcasting from
our Banterwealth Studios Banderwealth dot Com. Let's band together, build wealth.
Our financial future depends on it. Let's invest with the
best and let the interest do the rest. Check it
out at Banterwealthbatterwealth dot Com got a great segment for you.
We're gonna delve into this Iowa State BYU matchup. BYU
not a favorite two and a half point dog heading
out to Ames and Jack Trice Stadium. BYU versus Iowa
State is set at I believe forty nine and a half.
So that number has been interesting to me because it's
kind of the over under for all of BYU's games
thus far the season have been around that forty seven
and a half to forty nine and a half mark.
We'll see how this game plays out, and ESPN Analytics
slightly in favor of the BYU Cougars fifty four percent
chance of victory for the Cougars.
Speaker 1: So we'll see.
Speaker 2: But let's get to know the foe a little bit better.
In this segment. It's going to be brought to you
by our good friends at Royal Army Brand dot com.
BAU Swagger to by Fans four fans, Stay loyal to
the Royal rep the Wife the Right Way. Purchase your
BYU license apparel at Royal Army Brand dot com. Utilize
that ESPN nine to sixty coupon code to get ten
percent off your order at Royal Army Brand dot com.
All right, we got the voice, the play by play
voice for the Iowa State Cyclones on the line. We
got John Walters. John, how are you living? Thanks for
joining us.
Speaker 3: I'm doing real well. How are you guys doing?
Speaker 1: Fantastic?
Speaker 2: Man, appreciate you letting us delve into your mind and
get your perspective on this game and your program. One
thing that I've said about these two programs and these
two head coaches, Matty have a kilan. I think they're
much more similar than they are dissimilar.
Speaker 3: Would you agree, oh, one hundred percent? You know, Matt
said this week.
Speaker 4: I think the ultimate compliment that any coach can pay
another coach.
Speaker 3: He said, if my.
Speaker 4: Sons want to play college football, I'd want him to
go play for Kilanie Sataki, And I mean, I don't
know how you can get any better than that from
one coach to another as a compliment. So that's how
highly Matt thinks of Coach Sataki, and I.
Speaker 3: Know he feels kind of the same way about Matt.
Speaker 4: Ryan Harklaw, who does our sideline reporting for our cycle
and radio network, was in Jacksonville camp at the same
time as coach Sataki with the Jaguars, and they were
roommates actually, so they're good friends and they talk quite
a bit, and there's just a ton of respect. I
mean for the way he does things, the way that
he puts the players first.
Speaker 3: You can see when he talks to.
Speaker 4: The media or just does a sideline whatever the case
may be, that his priorities are in the right places.
And Matt's very much the same way. I mean, I
know that a lot of coaches, and Matt understands this
as well as anybody.
Speaker 3: They're going to be measured on wins and losses.
Speaker 4: And that's part of it. That's part of the deal.
But ultimately, what kind of impact are you having on
these young people's lives? And that might sound really corny,
but Matt lives.
Speaker 3: It every day.
Speaker 4: I know coach Kataki does the exact same thing, and
it's critical. I mean, these kids are really influenced by
these coaches and the way they lead their programs. And
if you do it in a really positive direction, you
turn out a lot of really good young men.
Speaker 3: And that's exactly I think what's happening in both programs.
Speaker 2: What's the culture like under Matt Campbell since he became
the head coach and revamped, remodeled, restructured, reorganized, and instituted
his way or the highway?
Speaker 1: What has that been like? What is the culture like there?
Speaker 4: In aims well on a football field, it's all about detail.
It's it's you know, you're not going to just out
recruit everybody and win at Iowa State.
Speaker 3: You're not Texas.
Speaker 4: You're not just going to say, hey, we're going to
get a bunch of five star guys and we're going
to out recruit everybody and win games that way. So
in order to win games, Iowa State has to do
little things really really well. And that's what they've done
through the years, and it's avoiding penalties, it's avoiding drop passes,
it's avoiding turnovers, it's creating your own turnovers.
Speaker 3: And so those are the areas that.
Speaker 4: Matt calls the margins, and that's what Iowa State is
one in. Going into these last two games that they've
lost against Cincinnati and Colorado, Iowa State had won nine
of its last ten one possession games, and a lot
of those games come down to a play here or
play They're not jumping off sides, not committing a false
start when you in the middle of a really positive drive,
and those little detailed things that Matt talks all about
all the time that I would say.
Speaker 3: It has to do well.
Speaker 4: But from a bigger picture perspective, it's creating people that
are in it for the team more than they're in
it for themselves, that view them as the sport is
something bigger than themselves, so they want to do anything
they can to help the team win.
Speaker 3: And it's just a really positive environment.
Speaker 4: When you're around it every day, you're just so impressed,
and you know, from a fan.
Speaker 3: Perspective, it's like, Okay, I would say, used to have.
Speaker 4: This huge hurdle in front of them that they didn't
honestly feel like they could win every game. Now, maybe
the players and coaches got themselves to that point. I
know the fans didn't really feel like they had a chance.
This program has gotten to the point where I don't
care who they're playing, when they're playing, where they're playing,
they feel like if they play well, they'll have a
chance to win.
Speaker 3: That doesn't mean they're going.
Speaker 4: To win every game, but if they play well, they'll
at least have a chance to win. And that was
a big hurdle, I mean a mental hurdle. I think
in the fans now are at a point where it's like, hey, yeah,
it doesn't matter. He's won at Oklahoma, he's won in
Texas a couple.
Speaker 3: Of times, he's won everywhere in the Big Twelve conference.
Speaker 4: And so there's no game that you look at and say, no,
that one's impossible.
Speaker 3: It's just write that one off.
Speaker 4: And try to stay in there and hang in there
and get to the next week. It's not that way
at all.
Speaker 2: Talking to Iowa State Cyclone Football with the Voice of
the Cyclones here on ESPN the Fan, John Walter's breaking
it all down. So what is the trajectory of this
Iowa State program right now? And is there a lot
of optimism and aims as in relation to that trajectory.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it's continuing to go upward. And it's
not that you're never going to have a down year.
Iowa State went four and eight a couple of years ago.
Twenty twenty two, they went four and eight. They lost
all their one possession games that year. I think they
went one in eight that year in those close games,
and so you know, it's not a guarantee that you're
going to win all those and sometimes the ball dozen
bounce your way, and as I mentioned earlier, Ia State
doesn't have the overwhelming talent to just be able to
absorb that and still win a ton of games. But overall,
the trajectory of the program continues to move forward in
a really positive direction because Matt has continued to stack
good recruiting class upon good recruiting class. And when I
say good recruiting class, it might not be viewed that
way by twenty four to seven sports arrivals. They might
view it as just okay or middle of the pack
recruiting class. But Matt really doesn't care how many stars
are next to a guy's name. He wants to know
that that guy can play in his own mind and
he's a fit for the program. And they found really
good players and develop players and tournament to NFL players
in a lot of cases, but their developmental program, and
so they have to stack classes. They have to have
sophomores and freshmen coming in behind the juniors and seniors
that are able to play and able to step in
and take on a bigger role. And that's something that
he's really been good at. And I think a big
part of that is not getting so married to the
transfer portal that you say, Okay, we're just going to
go flip our roster every year like some programs do,
where you're bringing in, you know, fifteen guys from the portal.
I could think of a year or two ago, there
was so much fascination with the portal that a lot
of coaches were saving you know, ten or eleven scholarships
off the recruiting class to get it to portal guys.
And with Matt, he said, okay, fine, not that they
don't take portal guys.
Speaker 3: They do.
Speaker 4: They'll take four or five a year. But he was
never one to say that, and so at the time
he was saying, Okay, if everybody else is zigging, will
zag who are the best high school players that we
haven't offered yet?
Speaker 3: And they haven't got some guys late in that.
Speaker 4: Class, And really it turned out to be great players,
even going back a couple of classes earlier.
Speaker 3: Brock Perty was one of those guys.
Speaker 4: He was a guy that you know, didn't get a
lot of recruiting attention until late in the senior year,
and he had a tremendous senior year and ended up
at Iowa, stayed over offers from Alabama and Texas A
and M that kind of came in at the last
minute too.
Speaker 3: But it's something unique, I think in today's college football.
Speaker 4: And so the program is built on a really solid
foundation and as long as coach Gampbell and his staff
are here, I think it'll continue to thrive and do well.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you mentioned the development of these players. I don't
know if this is a comprehensive list, but I was
stayed almost ad. I want to say fifteen to twenty
players in the NFL right now.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and good players.
Speaker 4: You know, I mentioned brock Perty, Bri Saul with the
new York Jets, Will McDonald with the Jets, Charlie Kohler
with the Ravens, TJ. Tampa with the Ravens. I mean,
David Montgomery with the Lions. There's a lot of really
good players in the NFL. The two rookie receivers for
the Texans, Jayden and Higgins and Jalen Nole, were both
here a year ago and they're off to a great
start in their NFL career. So he's produced really good players.
Some of them have gone on to the NFL, some
of them haven't, but they've had really good careers at
Iowa State.
Speaker 3: And it's not an overnight thing.
Speaker 4: Typically, typically it does take a couple of years for
these guys to develop.
Speaker 3: But they're really good day to day with these guys
and bring them along.
Speaker 4: And that's why I say they go and seek out
a certain type of kid that they can see maybe
three years from now, this guy's going to be a
really productive player. Where other coaches might be more impatient
and say we need results.
Speaker 3: Right now, I've got to save my job.
Speaker 4: Matt doesn't have that kind of insecurity about it, so
he will go recruit a guy and say, I recognize.
Speaker 3: That it's going to be two years, three years before this.
Speaker 4: Guy can really make a contribution for us unless he
progresses faster than.
Speaker 3: We're even thinking. And sometimes that does happen.
Speaker 4: But to have that kind of security in your own decisions,
I think is really important.
Speaker 2: Great breakdown, let's talk about this particular game BYU versus
Iowa State.
Speaker 1: How do you see you playing out?
Speaker 2: What are the strengths of weaknessus this Iowa State team
right now? And what do you think b why you
bring to Jack Trice this weekend?
Speaker 4: Well, man, it's been really impressive what BYU has done,
and to do it with a true freshman quarterback is
absolutely unbelievable. And I am so impressed by him. And
you know they've been they've been winning the close games,
just like we just talked about.
Speaker 3: There.
Speaker 4: You know what three and oh in their big twelve games,
I think you know, or three and oh in their
one possession big twelve games. And that's how you that's
how you win championships. You win a bunch of those
close games. But there's a calmness about Bachmeyer that you know,
you just don't see in a true freshman. He really
has a quiet confidence about him. But the way he
plays the game is so unique too. And I was
talking to our color analysts today, Eric Haft, and he
said he's reminded of Tim Tebow when he watches Bachmeyer
play because such a big run threat, such a big, physical,
pounding guy. But it's the run game is I think
where it begins and ends for both teams. I mean,
i Was State has to run the ball well too,
and that's hard to do against BYU's rush defense. But
Abu Samas coming off one hundred and seventy seven yard
rushing game, had a one hundred yard rushing game in
Iowa States win in Pro Bowl a couple of years ago.
He's a talented running back. Carson Hanson's a good running back.
Speaker 3: You are going to put a.
Speaker 4: Lot on the shoulders of rock Obecs if you're Iowa State.
But at the same time, he's probably not going to
have as much success if you don't at least gain
one hundred yards on the ground.
Speaker 3: And I think with those two guys.
Speaker 4: That's the hope is that they'll be into triple digits
and rushing yards. I think with BYU, which is average
in two thirty rushing yards a game, you got to
somewhere hold down between one hundred and one hundred and
fifty if you can to force Bachmeyer to beat you
through the air. Because as good as he is running
the football, and I know he can throw it too,
but you'd rather take your chances on him throwing it
and beating you than just saying, okay, we can just
line up and gain six seven yards on every running
play between him and Martin. That's a scary proposition. So defense,
particularly up the middle, slowing down the run game of
BYU is critical. Both teams are going to be determined
to run the ball and establish that. They're both trying
to getting into third and short situations where the playbook
is wide open and some of that play action stuff.
Speaker 3: Can really work.
Speaker 4: But yeah, predictable passing situations are what both defensive coordinators
are trying to create. And and so it'll be a
fascinating chess match between these two schools. They're built pretty similarly, really,
I think there's a lot of similarities in the way
they play, and so it'll be it'll be a fascinating
chess match to see. I think, in particular, which team
can establish a ground game.
Speaker 2: I was states five to zero all time against the
ba Ucouver's. Last time they met at Mavelle, I was
State destroyed BYU. BYU was slipping all over the football
field on their home turf. Iowa State was surefooted. I
want to say in twenty twenty three, prior to the
BYU game, I thought I always stayed had a home
game in which the turf was a little bit slippery,
and so they change maybe their footwear having to play
on the road on a same similar surface. Do you
recall that at all in twenty twenty three, What do
you recall about it?
Speaker 4: Well, sure, I think you might be onto something as
far as the cleats, I don't know, but it sure
seemed like Iowa.
Speaker 3: State had better footing that day.
Speaker 4: And I would say, does play on a grass field
here names and it gets a lot of do on
it overnight, and you know, it gets slippery at times,
and so.
Speaker 3: They're kind of used to playing on those surfaces, and
that might have had more to do with it than anything.
Speaker 4: If that surface was a little bit more wet than
it typically is on that night. But yeah, I would
say played very well that night. Now at BYU, that
was not one of their more successful teams. Obviously these
last couple of years they've played at a much higher level.
Speaker 3: I mean, I would love to see I would stay
to have help putting advantage.
Speaker 4: I don't think it's necessarily going to happen. I think
they both used to playing on gras. Yes, that's the
field will beyond tomorrow. The weather looks perfect. It's going
to be about sixty degrees that you're playing right in
the middle of the day at two thirty, So I
wouldn't think that footing is going to be a big
issue for either team. But yeah, obviously played really well
out there a couple of years ago, and obviously this
is a totally different animal, and I expect a very
competitive football game that'll come right down to the closing minutes.
Speaker 1: For BWA.
Speaker 2: You fans that are heading out to Ames, what where's
the places to go? Things to see, places to eat?
Give us a breakdown of what Kugarnation needs to expose
themselves to out there.
Speaker 4: And Ames, well, Ames is a college town that is
a great college town. The campus itself is absolutely beautiful,
so they if they want to walk around the campus,
it's I mean, with the fall colors and everything going
on right now, it's a perfect time to do that,
so I think they'd really enjoy walking around Iowa State's campus.
There's several great restaurants and names for vision. This is
one that Frankfurschel always talks about every time he comes
into town. Hickory Park and Bod's Cornbread. There's a bunch
of them that are really.
Speaker 3: Really good. So I think they'll be able to find
a good place to eat.
Speaker 4: If they want to head down to De Moines, that's
about thirty minutes south of year, they can go down
to see the state capitol and walk around to wine
and enjoy downtown Des Moines. But you know, Ames is
a college town and it's a really fun college town.
Speaker 3: I think what they're really going to enjoy.
Speaker 4: Is walking around tomorrow in the five or six hours
leading up to the game. If they just walk around
out the exterior of the stadium, it's really a sea
of cardinal and gold in every direction you.
Speaker 3: Can possibly look. I've said many times.
Speaker 4: Iowa State's lost a bunch of football games through the years,
but they've never lost a tailgate. This is a great
tailgating environment, and it's when you're in the press box
where I am calling the game from and where Greg
will be tomorrow calling the game for BYU. You look
off in any direction and you see these tents and
those flags, and it's just so cool to look cat
from up there, and so I think they'd really enjoy
that part of it. So I'd recommend they get to
the stadium as early as possible and kind of walk
around and become friends with some of the Ioway Stay fans.
It's a very friendly fan base. They'll be welcoming, and
I think the BYU fans that come here are going
to have a great experience. I know several that are
that are coming and they'll have it. They'll have a
great experience.
Speaker 1: Love that breakdown. Break down the game for me?
Speaker 2: How do you see it playing out in a day
game b YU versus Ioways State at Jack Trice this weekend.
Speaker 4: Well, I think you know, when Matt Campbell was asked
what's the keys, you know, he the first thing he
said was turnover margin. And you know BYU leaves the
big twelve in interceptions with nine.
Speaker 3: They've been very good at turning opponents over.
Speaker 4: Rocobeck has done a very good job of taking care
of the football this year. If he can avoid turning
it over and the segmentes don't lay it on the
ground too often and can win that turnover margin, maybe
force Bachmeyer into throw he doesn't want to make on
a third and long or something like that. Then I
think it really improves their chances of winning. But that'll
be a stat for sure to keep an eye. And
I mentioned rushing yardage earlier, I think and when I
say rushing yardage, if BYU rushes for one fifty and
Iowa State rushes for one forty, I'd almost consider that
a win for Iowa State because BYUS averaging two hundred
and thirty rushing yards a game, it's kind of their.
Speaker 3: Butt and butter.
Speaker 4: They still throw it very well, but they want to
establish that run game, so at least you know, getting
them into that one hundred and fifty vicinity of rushing
yards or fewer. But the combination of Martin and Bachmeier
is really tough to stop on the ground, so that's
a big challenge. But I think you know which team
can establish a run, which team can win the turnover margin,
avoid big mistakes, and then special teams always seem to
come into play in these tight games. And thankfully for
Ioay State. They're getting their kicker back tomorrow and Kyle CONRARTI,
he's been missing for a few games now, and that's
really changes your strength when you don't have your kicker
at your disposal. And so both these kickers are excellent,
they're two of the best in the Big Twelve. And
Farren and CONRADI, the punt games for both teams are
really solid. They both have really good returners. So I'd
kind of keep an eye on that game within the
game of who wins special teams as well.
Speaker 2: Is this the game that of hope that allows Iowa
State fans to believe that they can still go to
a Big Twelve Championship game this year?
Speaker 4: Well, I think at this point in Iowa State's position,
you know that you have to win them all. You
have to win your next five games if you want
to even be in the discussion for the Big.
Speaker 3: Twelve championship game.
Speaker 4: Because you know, last year, four teams including BYU and
Iowa State tied with two losses and the tie breakers
worked out to Iowa States benefit and Arizona States benefit.
Speaker 3: But I would think this year it's highly unlikely you're
going to have, you know, another.
Speaker 4: Championship game that matches two two loss teams as possible,
but for IOA State, you're not even in the discussion
if you're not one of those two loss teams. And
they already have two losses, so they have to win out.
But in a little weird way, I do think that
kind of helps them. I think it takes some of
the pressure off, if you will, and that you know,
they've kind of been pressing a little bit. I think
in these last couple of games on the road, you know,
they went into those two games undefeated and then lost
one and it turned it into two losses.
Speaker 3: The same thing happened to him last year.
Speaker 4: They lost at home by one point to Texas Tech,
went down to Arrowhead, got beat by Kansas, and then
they really turned it around and won their final three games.
Speaker 3: And I think in a strange.
Speaker 4: Kind of way, it kind of takes some of the
pressure off that people are starting to write you off,
think you have no.
Speaker 3: Chance to get to the championship game.
Speaker 4: I states better when they're the hunt hunted or the
hunter instead of the hunted, and so let of go relax,
take the edge off, take that weight off their shoulders,
and just go play football and let the chips fall
where they may, but be able to look in the
mirror at the end of the day and know that
you played really well and if that results will win, great.
Speaker 3: If it doesn't, at least you know you played really
well and you're in a great spot.
Speaker 4: And so I think I stay able to be loose,
looser than they have been in those last couple of games,
and I think they'll play really well. That doesn't mean
I don't think by you will play really well too.
Speaker 3: I do.
Speaker 4: I think it'll be a great football game. I think
it'll come right down to finish. So I'm looking forward
to two teams playing at a high level, a great
showcase for the Big Twelve Conference in these two institutions.
When you consider a national TV audience. With Jason Bennetti
and Robert Griffin on the call on Fox, I think
it's going to be a tremendous showcase for the Big
Twelve Conference, and I think the game itself will live
up to that.
Speaker 2: Billing, John, we appreciate you great inside, great knowledge, good
luck on your call. We invite everyone to follow you
on X and to listen to your call. They're in aames,
John weisalute you man, thanks for hopping on for a
college football segment, A little know the faux segment my pleasure.
Speaker 3: Thanks for having me there you go.
Speaker 2: That's John Walters and that the segment was brought to
you by all of our sponsors. Guys, we can't do
our show without our sponsors. Give our sponsors an opportunity
to earn your business. Be It Royal, Army of Brand,
Orthropros of Utah, Odeon, Men's Ward, Dental Pros of Utah,
Big O'tires, Banterwealth, Complete Circuit Electric, Bresa Cleaning Services.
Speaker 1: Also shout out to Premo.
Speaker 2: Golf Apparel, Handy and Handy, Advanced Window Products, Game Day,
Men's Health, You Tie Advocates, RGS Sixteriors, BMW and Pleasant
Grove in Myers Meats and Fine Food.
Speaker 1: That's our show. We're sticking to it. Guys.
Speaker 2: Download the podcast iTunes, Spreak or Google play Music, iHeartRadio, Spotify,
give us a rating, give us a review.
Speaker 1: We appreciate it when you do.
Speaker 2: I feel like byu' is got to get that dub,
get to get that victory real quick.
Speaker 1: To end the show.
Speaker 2: Prognostication score, What do you got for me? Brett always
bringing the hammer at ap you to so I think
BAU wins at thirty four or thirty one. I think
this could end up being a game, and learned to
Oklahoma State last year where they have they have a
running back that has the history of giving us trouble
and I think he could do that again. But I
think I think Iowa States beat up enough that we
can score some points on them. So I think we
went thirty four to thirty one last two games in
these lawsuits on the road. By the way, they've scored
thirty and seventeen respectively. Offensively, they've given up thirty eight
and twenty four. Obviously, Colorado that was a very close
game for BYU, and they played on their home field
right and scored twenty four points, So.
Speaker 1: I'm taking that into account.
Speaker 2: I'm getting a field that By's gonna yes, win this game,
but it's gonna be another one score game.
Speaker 1: It'll be a close one.
Speaker 2: I'm going thirty one twenty eight BYU. They don't have
a really a field goal kicker there. They have some
kicking game problems, but they do have a great offense,
a great quarterback, and some great tight ends, and I
think physical line play.
Speaker 1: I think they may be able.
Speaker 2: To score more points than they have the last few weeks.
On average, they scored thirty versus Cincinnati at Cincinnati. Being
at home, I expect them to have a good offensive output.
That twelfth man showing up, it should be a sold
out crowd. It will be a sold out Cloud crowd,
and that is going to be sixty two thousand strong,
sixty two thousand strong.
Speaker 3: There.
Speaker 1: Score prediction? What do you got from me? Hammertime? Thirty
four to twenty four BYU rocks and loads. I like it,
rocks and loads. I like it.
Speaker 2: Let's go Cougars, guys. Enjoy the weekend, enjoy the game.
We appreciate you. Oh Vic Vic, you got a score prediction?
What do you got?
Speaker 3: I do?
Speaker 4: I have a twenty seven to seventeen and BYU wins
the time of possession battle, big key into the win
in this game.
Speaker 1: Love it.
Speaker 2: Let's hope it happens. Let's hope it comes to fruition.
That's our show, guys. We'll see you next week, hopefully
celebrating eight to o and another victory for the BAU
Cougars and an exhibition win over b y R over
U N c at the Delta Center. Uh, this is
Cougar Sports on one of three nine ninety eight point
three ESP in the face