Stung by a Cy-Hawk loss, the Cyclones must ignite their deep-ball passing game and shut down a physical Falcons ground attack to regain momentum before conference play.
Iowa State will return home to Jack Trice Stadium to play the Bowling Green Falcons and former NFL standout turned head coach Eddie George in the final non-conference game of 2026 on Saturday afternoon (11 a.m., ESPNU)
After the loss to Iowa, the Cyclone will come into this game looking to right some wrongs and build consistency on offense while trying to carry over their stout defense.
Here are three position groups to watch as the Cyclones take on the Falcons.
Wide Receivers / Tight Ends
This group of Iowa State pass catchers doesn't have a lot of season-opening production going into this game. They have only managed 16 receptions for 294 yards in the two games they have played, with Omari Hayes being their most productive receiver with 5 receptions for 93 yards.
I expect that quarterback Jaylen Raynor will attempt to bring his skill and passion for the deep ball to this Cyclone offense after showing it in previous seasons at Arkansas State. Iowa State will air it out in an attempt to add another layer to this offense before facing Big 12 competition, even if it won't be simple given the powerful Falcon defense.
Secondary
After Iowa quarterback Hank Brown threw for 191 yards and completed 70 percent of his passes, the secondary will aim to put up a better performance when the Falcons come to Jack Trice Stadium. They will face challenges because Bowling Green has very skilled players at every position. A lot of attention will be paid to how the Cyclones will choose to cover tight end Jeremiah Scoby (12 catches, 121 yards) whose size, athleticism, and versatility allows him to be effective both in-line and in the slot and could threaten their defense.
Defensive Line
Iowa State’s defense managed to hold Iowa to just 93 rushing yards last weekend, but failed to record a sack in the process. It will be important for it to match that level of success against Bowling Green because of physical 6-foot-1, 230-pound running back Austyn Dendy (89 yards, 1 TD this season)
In order to earn the right to rush the quarterback, the Cyclones first have to gain control of the running game. A player to keep an eye on is senior Isaac Terrell, who has played under coach Jimmy Rogers for his entire career (South Dakota State, Washington State and now at Iowa State) and has tallied three sacks this season.
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