The biggest game of College Football's Week 0 game was a clash between the #17 Kansas State Wildcats and the #22 Iowa State Cyclones. Both teams came into the season with a great chance to win the Big 12 Championship which could then send them to the College Football Playoff making this a fascinating season opener. The Cyclones were able to pick up a pivotal win to begin the season but, it wasn't the crowning moment the fanbase was hoping for.
In a matchup between the 2nd and 3rd ranked teams in the Big 12, there was plenty to be desired on both sides. Each team fumbled the ball twice while missed kicks, dropped passes, and blown coverages played a big factor in the outcome of the game.
After an impressive 2024 season, Rocco Becht had a chance to be one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12. In this game, Becht finished just 14 for 28 passing for 183 yards and 3 total touchdowns without an interception. Becht came alive late in the game and was great when it mattered the most but, he certainly didn't look like a Heisman contender.
The rushing attack was abysmal in this game and it'll need to improve if the Cyclones are going to be a dynamic offense. The team ran the ball 46 times picking up just 130 yards averaging 2.8 yards per carry which is far below where Matt Campbell would like.
Avery Johnson's best plays in this game came late as he hit wide open Jayce Brown and Jerand Bradley for deep touchdowns otherwise his stat line would've looked much different. The more frustrating part for the Wildcats is once again Avery Johnson didn't look like dynamic threat everyone expects as he picked up just 21 yards with his legs.
The biggest concern for Kansas State will be the health of their star running back Dylan Edwards who suffered a leg injury early in this game and never returned. If Edwards is out for an extended time period, it's going to be hard for this team to maintain the balance everyone thought they'd have this season.
Everyone expects sloppy play the first few weeks of the College Football season but, these teams showed they have plenty of serious flaws they'll need to iron out. It'll now be interesting to follow these teams next week as they'll have a long travel day tomorrow before beginning a new game week,
The Big 12 may have more teams that are capable of winning the league this season than any other conference. After seeing the way both teams struggled in this game, the likes of Arizona State, Baylor, Texas Tech, and the rest of the contenders have to feel pretty good about their chances to shut down these offenses that struggled mightily.
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