Iowa State Football: 3 takeaways from disappointing loss to Iowa

1. Big 12 title hopes are thankfully still alive

Let’s try and be positive for a second about this loss. No, losing to your rival at home as a top-10 team is never a good thing, but when it’s a non-conference defeat and you’re considered a league title contender, it’s good to get that out of the way early.

Iowa State got that ugly loss out of the way in Week 2 after escaping a Week 1 upset and you can bet Matt Campbell has about a who season’s worth of film to dissect over a two-game span.

The Cyclones may not look great so far this season, but I’ve seen this movie before. Iowa State starts a season slowly and then continues to get better, pulls off an upset or two where no one gives it a chance to win, and contends for a Big 12 title. It’s been the story of Campbell and Co. over the past few years.

Iowa State has a lot to work on from turnover issues to quarterback play to mental mistakes, but when you double the yardage of your opponent and still lose by 10 points, you have to realize you probably shot yourself in the foot too much.

Mistakes are correctable and Iowa State has the pieces to make a run at the Big 12 title.

You’re welcome for the optimistic take, Cyclone fans.