It’s a great time to get your college football fix and a game like Iowa State vs. UNI is no exception. Luckily, DISH has college football coverage. If you don’t have DISH, check out your satellite TV provider for coverage of college football games.
Xavier Hutchinson
After a breakout season in which he caught three touchdown passes and threw for 122 yards, Xavier Hutchinson has returned to Iowa State for his senior season. He has taken advantage of the free year that the NCAA gave him during the COVID-19 pandemic to return to school. Hutchinson is one of the nation’s top receivers and will be a vital part of the Cyclones offense. He will replace Brock Purdy, who threw for 12,170 yards and 81 touchdowns during his four years at Iowa State. Hutchinson’s performance this past season was enough to earn him a spot on the preseason watch lists for two major awards, the Biletnikoff Award and the Maxwell Award.
Xavier Hutchinson attended Bartram Trail High School and was a three star recruit according to 247 Sports and ESPN. After high school, he chose Iowa State, where he earned All-Big-12 honors. In his freshman season, Hutchinson caught 64 passes for 771 yards and four touchdowns. His QB rating when targeted was 110.3.
Hutchinson is an elite pass-catching prospect in the 2020 class. He broke his thumb during his sophomore season and had to undergo surgery. He eventually lost his chance of entering the NFL. However, he did return to the field wearing a cast, and played in the Cheez-It Bowl game against Clemson.
Hutchinson was Iowa State’s top wide receiver last season and led the Big 12 in catches and yards. He also had five touchdowns and a six-game streak where he had six or more catches. He totaled 125 yards in one game against the No. 8 Oklahoma State defense, outplaying fellow Big 12 wide receiver Tay Martin.
Xavier Hall
Iowa State had some trouble in the first half. The Hawkeyes couldn’t run the ball and couldn’t get chunk plays. They had to rely on the air. It took them fourteen plays to score the game’s only touchdown. Despite the tough start, the Hawkeyes rallied to win the game and take a 24-6 series lead.
The Cyclones were down by 16 points late in the game, but they had trouble scoring. Iowa State’s last drive was promising, but a back-to-back penalty put the Cyclones in a difficult spot. They now face third-and-21 in the fourth quarter.
Hutchinson was the Big 12’s offensive newcomer of the year last season. He caught 64 passes for 771 yards in his first season in Ames. Charlie Kolar, meanwhile, returned after an All-America year with a team-high seven touchdowns.
Iowa State has a slight edge in the trenches. Though Northern Iowa has a good defensive lineman in Jared Brinkman, Iowa State will focus on suffocating the Panthers and wearing them down. The Cy-Hawks won’t be revealing much before the game, but they’ll be showing off their talent and physicality.
Iowa State was outplayed for the majority of the game. The Cyclones’ offense struggled in the first half, gaining -1 yard on six plays and 57 yards of total offense. Their offense was a bit sloppy, but the Cyclones did manage to score. On their third drive, Hunter Dekkers connected with Xavier Hutchinson for a 33-yard touchdown.
The Cyclones have the pieces they need to make a run at the College Football Playoff. Brock Purdy is their third quarterback and has thrown for over two thousand yards and 19 touchdowns. The Cyclones’ top-10 running back, Breece Hall, finished the season among the Heisman voting.
Xavier Purdy
Iowa State is a mid-major conference team that has a very strong defense, which will present some problems for Xavier Purdy. Purdy is a solid scrambler, but he is not as good as he thinks he is. In addition, his arm strength is not very good. His passing game has its ups and downs, but he can put Iowa State in their place at times. And his tight ends are useful as lead blockers.
Purdy completed 66 percent of his passes, but had two turnovers. On the next play, he made an error on the first down. He was called for pass interference, and the play was called back. Purdy, who was averaging almost six yards per pass, completed 27 of his 33 passes. His last three games have seen him complete 66-of-80 passes for 760 yards, with no interceptions. The game ended with a TD for Purdy, and the Cyclones were able to win despite Purdy’s turnover.
The next play in the game was a big one. Oklahoma State stalled out at the Iowa State 15-yard line. Oklahoma State’s Andrew Mevis chose to kick a field goal instead. The kick made the score 17-14. After the score, the Cowboys punted and Iowa State led 17-14 in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys had a fourth-and-2 situation at the Cowboys’ 42. The game was tied after Xavier Hutchinson caught a pass for nine yards.
The final drive of the game saw the crowd pour onto the field, with Purdy fans chanting “Go Purdy” to their hearts’ content. The final drive took nine and a half minutes to finish, and the defense held strong. A final kneel-down in the fourth quarter was the difference between winning the game and losing. A great defense is key in a game like this.
Xavier Campbell
If you are a college football fan, it is probably worth taking in the Xavier Campbell vs Iowa state football game. This game has special meaning for Campbell fans, who have become so devoted that they have appeared on College Gameday. Unfortunately for Campbell, freshman running back Cartevious Norton is questionable for Saturday’s game. He had three carries for 21 yards last week and showed his explosiveness on a cross-field run. If he can’t play, freshman running back Eli Sanders or Jirehl Brock could see an increased role.
The Cowboys’ top receiver is super senior Xavier Hutchinson, who caught 83 passes for 987 yards and five touchdowns last season. Another key player for Campbell is Jaylin Noel, who returns after catching 38 passes for 265 yards and working as the team’s primary punter last year. Dimitri Stanley is the third receiver on the roster, but has only two years of eligibility left.
For Iowa State, Hunter Dekkers takes over at quarterback, and is better suited to the task than his predecessor. A talented group of players, including Jirehl Brock and Xavier Hutchinson, stretch the field and make the Cyclones’ offense look more explosive. And the defense, which has been plagued by growing pains all season long, plays strong when it’s needed. The Xavier Campbell vs Iowa State football game should be a memorable and exciting game for both teams.
While Iowa State dominated the first half, the second half was a struggle. Neither team could score after a touchdown. In fact, the CyHawks’ first drive ended in an interception. However, they did manage to score points in the fourth quarter when sophomore running back Jirehl Brock rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown.
Will McElvain
The two teams have played each other in the past, and this year’s matchup is sure to be an exciting one. Iowa State’s RB Breece Hall will face the UNI Panthers’ defensive line, which allowed 108 yards per game during the spring season. UNI’s QB Will McElvain is looking to bounce back after a disappointing spring season.
UNI will need a good performance from quarterback Will McElvain, but they also need a good running game. If UNI can’t turn three yard runs into ten-yard gains, they’ll be stuck in the middle of the field. Isaiah Weston is a big-play threat, and he has caught 72 passes for 1,585 yards in his career.
UNI has an elite defense, and they’re ranked in the top 25 in FCS. If you’re going to watch the game, make sure to find a stream. The kickoff time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The game will also be broadcast on ESPN+.
After a scoreless first half, Iowa State and Uni were evenly matched. However, the Cyclones’ defense made the difference in the second half. The Cyclones had only 127 yards of offense, and most of that came in the final drive. They only managed eight first downs. This meant that the Cyclones would need to take advantage of their talent and throw the ball deep to capable receivers.
The Iowa State athletics department released a “WE WILL” video on Monday as a tribute to their late star, Jack Trice. Trice, a black student who played for Iowa State, wrote a letter to his family the night before his untimely death in a game against the University of Minnesota.