UC football returns to Nippert looking for 1st Big 12 win vs. Iowa State

After a weekend off, Coach Scott Satterfield's University of Cincinnati football squad has a chance to even their record at 3-3 Saturday at Nippert Stadium. Their noon opponent is Iowa State, which beat last year's College Football Playoff runner-up, TCU 27-14 over the weekend.

What do we know about Iowa State?

It was founded in 1858 in Ames, Iowa. Should a Cyclones fan depart Ames for Nippert Stadium this weekend they will travel nearly 600 miles via Interstate 74 covering eight hours and 46 minutes. The Bearcats have never faced Iowa State in football, but in 2016 the men's basketball Bearcats nipped them 55-54 in Ames on a pair of free throws by Jacob Evans III.

Who is Iowa State's coach?

Matt Campbell is from Massillon and was the Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year in 2015 and Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2017, 2018 and 20. He was also Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2020. The Cyclones were 4-8 last year and just 1-8 in the Big 12. Campbell's best season was 9-3 in 2020 and they defeated Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl 34-17 and reached a No. 9 overall rank.

Why is Matt Campbell familiar with Cincinnati?

Among his local recruits, Campbell plucked current Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery out of Mount Healthy. Montgomery played quarterback and seemingly every position at Mount Healthy but became a running back at Iowa State. His 2,929 career yards got him drafted into the NFL.

Campbell has defeated UC

While head coach at Toledo, Campbell's Rockets dealt then-coach Butch Jones and the Bearcats a harsh blow in 2012 when they traveled north with a 5-0 record. UC had defeated Pitt, Delaware State, No. 25 Virginia Tech, Miami University and Fordham, but suffered their first loss to Campbell and company 29-23. In 2014, Tommy Tuberville's Bearcats avenged Campbell 58-34 with Gunner Kiel throwing six touchdown passes. However, it was 34-0 with Toledo fighting back to get to 41-34. UC then scored 17 unanswered points for the 58-34 final.

Local connection

Campbell has often recruited Greater Cincinnati. Currently, redshirt sophomore Malik Verdon who played at Moeller, then Hamilton is a 6-4, 225-pound defensive back for the Cyclones. Like David Montgomery, Verdon was also a high school quarterback.

The quest for bowl eligibility

Though UC could realistically be 4-1 based on offensive statistics, the reality of the scoreboard has them 2-3. To be bowl-eligible, they'll need to win at least four of their next seven games. How likely is that? Here is a rundown of the possibilities:

Iowa State

Reason for optimism: Iowa State lost in Athens to Ohio University 10-7, then gave up 50 points to an Oklahoma team that UC held to a season-low 20 points.

Reason for pessimism: UC has its own loss to a MAC team and the Cyclones never trailed vs. TCU last Saturday.

Baylor

Reason for optimism: Baylor started with four straight home games and lost three of them, including their opener to Texas State. This past weekend Texas Tech trounced them in Waco.

Reason for pessimism: Heading to another loss on the road at UCF, Baylor rallied from a 35-10 deficit with 26 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to stun UCF, 36-35.

at Oklahoma State

Reason for optimism: Oklahoma State lost at home to South Alabama 33-7, then dropped a road game at Iowa State 34-27. The Cowboys had been ranked in the lower rung of the Big 12 teams.

Reason for pessimism: In Stillwater, Oklahoma State got out to a big lead on Kansas State and hung on to win 29-21. The Wildcats were the winners of last year's Big 12 championship game. UC's game vs. Oklahoma State on Oct. 28 is in Stillwater.

UCF

Reason for optimism: UCF struggled to win at Boise State 18-16 and quarterback John Rhys Plumlee suffered a leg injury causing him to miss some games. After three straight wins, the Knights lost at Kansas State, then self-destructed in the fourth quarter vs. Baylor. Having UCF in Cincinnati in November could be helpful.

Reason for pessimism: Plumlee could be healthy by November.

at Houston

Reason for optimism: Houston has been ranked around the bottom by Big 12 media. Their only demonstrative victory came against winless Sam Houston State.

Reason for pessimism: The Cougars can still score, so the UC offense must do the same.

at West Virginia

Reason for optimism: The media ranked West Virginia dead last in the Big 12 over the summer. The Mountaineers beat Pitt 17-6, so the teams have comparable victories. UC has won at WVU, but Morgantown can get intimidating if you're not ready to play.

Reason for pessimism: Neal Brown used the Big 12 ranking to rally WVU to a quick start. The Mountaineers have downed two of the Texas teams in Texas Tech and TCU.

Kansas

Reason for optimism: It's the last game of the season and it's at Nippert. It could mean something. Kansas beat BYU 38-27, a team that beat UC, in Lawrence. However, UC statistically was better than BYU everywhere but the scoreboard. Lance Leipold's Jayhawks started 5-0 last season but finished 1-7 for an overall 6-7 mark.

Reason for pessimism: Leipold is a veteran, savvy coach who has won at many levels. After giving up 40 points to Texas Sept. 30, KU put 51 on UCF last Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Can UC football regroup with a Big 12 win over Iowa State Saturday?