Iowa State Football: Ranking Cyclones’ 2020 opponents by toughness

From one second-year coach to another, Texas Tech’s Matt Wells may have struggled in year one, but Chris Klieman had one of the most impressive opening seasons in 2019, going 8-5.

The Wildcats went to the Liberty Bowl and lost to Navy by just three. Only three points stood between the Wildcats and a nine-win season in Klieman’s first year. Actually, they almost beat Texas and West Virginia as well (10 wins was possible). But only two returning starters on offense could make the 2020 outlook a bit gloomy.

Defensively, the Wildcats return seven starters and 44th in the nation. That should be the strength of the 2020 squad much like it was in 2019.

West Virginia is also under the direction of a second-year head coach as Neal Brown went 5-7 in year one and fell just a touchdown short of bowl eligibility after losing to Oklahoma State in the second-to-last week of the 2019 season.

Finding a starting quarterback in Jarret Doege is a good start to the offensive turnaround after the Mountaineers ranked just 119th in the country a year ago.

Six starters return on a defense that ranked 74th and No. 6 in the Big 12 last season. West Virginia is bringing back its two leading tacklers, two leading sack artists and plenty of talent. Expect a big turnaround for the Mountaineers in 2020.