Honestly, if you looked at the iowa state football schedule 2024 back in August, you probably didn't see an 11-win season coming. Nobody did. The Cyclones were picked to finish sixth in the Big 12. Most experts figured Matt Campbell would put together a solid seven or eight-win campaign because that’s just what he does. Instead, Iowa State went out and staged the most successful season in the program’s 133-year history.
It was a wild ride.
The year started with a quiet win over North Dakota, but the real fireworks began a week later in Iowa City. That 20-19 win over the Hawkeyes set the tone for everything that followed. Kyle Konrardy, a freshman kicker who had barely seen the field, stepped up and nailed a 54-yard field goal with six seconds left. It wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. It told the rest of the Big 12 that this team wasn't going to blink in tight spots.
Breaking Down the Iowa State Football Schedule 2024
The schedule was a gauntlet of new faces and old rivals. After the Cy-Hawk win, the Cyclones tore through their early conference slate. They blanked Houston 20-0 on the road, which was their first road conference shutout in over half a century. Then came the heart-stoppers.
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The Mid-Season Surge
By mid-October, the hype was real. Iowa State was 7-0 for the first time since 1938. The game against UCF at Jack Trice Stadium was arguably the loudest that place has been in years. Rocco Becht led a 38-35 comeback that felt like magic. But the iowa state football schedule 2024 eventually bit back. November brought a cold reality check with back-to-back losses to Texas Tech and Kansas.
A lot of teams would have folded there. They didn't.
They bounced back to beat Cincinnati and then gutted out a 31-28 win in Salt Lake City against Utah. That set up a massive finale against Kansas State. Farmageddon. With the Big 12 Championship on the line, the Cyclones won 29-21, punching their ticket to Arlington.
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The Final Results and Scores
- Aug 31: North Dakota — W, 21-3
- Sep 7: at Iowa — W, 20-19
- Sep 21: Arkansas State — W, 52-7
- Sep 28: at Houston — W, 20-0
- Oct 5: Baylor — W, 43-21
- Oct 12: at West Virginia — W, 28-16
- Oct 19: UCF — W, 38-35
- Nov 2: Texas Tech — L, 22-23
- Nov 9: at Kansas — L, 36-45
- Nov 16: Cincinnati — W, 34-17
- Nov 23: at Utah — W, 31-28
- Nov 30: Kansas State — W, 29-21
Why the Pop-Tarts Bowl Changed Everything
The Big 12 Championship game was a bit of a disaster. Arizona State ran wild, winning 45-19. It felt like a deflating end to a historic run. But then came the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. Facing No. 13 Miami, Iowa State looked like a completely different team.
Rocco Becht was lights out. He threw for over 3,500 yards on the season, but that game against Miami was his masterpiece. Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins—who both went over 1,000 yards receiving this year—were unstoppable. The Cyclones walked away with a 42-41 win, their 11th victory of the season.
That was the first time Iowa State ever hit double-digit wins. Ever.
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The Matt Campbell Factor
We have to talk about Matt Campbell. During the 2024 season, he officially became the winningest coach in Iowa State history, passing Dan McCarney. There were rumors all year about him leaving for bigger jobs—Penn State being the big one—but he stayed to finish what he started. He’s built a culture in Ames that relies on being the "least penalized" and "most disciplined" team.
Statistically, they were one of the cleanest teams in the country, averaging only 3.8 penalties per game. You win a lot of close games when you don't beat yourself.
What to Take Away From the 2024 Season
If you're a Cyclone fan, the iowa state football schedule 2024 is something you'll be talking about for decades. It wasn't just about the wins; it was about the way they won. Four game-winning drives. A historic defense led by Jontez Williams and Malik Verdon.
Moving forward, the bar has been raised. The "little brother" narrative in the Big 12 is basically dead. Iowa State is now a perennial contender, and with Becht likely returning for another run, the 2025 season already has massive expectations.
To really understand the impact of this season, look at the final rankings. Ending at No. 15 in the AP Poll isn't just a high water mark; it's a foundation. The next step for the program is clear: winning that elusive Big 12 title and making a deep run in the expanded 12-team playoff. Check the official Iowa State Athletics site for the upcoming spring game dates to get a first look at the 2025 roster.