AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell has announced the captains for the 2023 football season.

Seniors Easton Dean, Ben Nikkel and Gerry Vaughn are joined in the leadership role by juniors Beau Freyler and Jaylin Noel.

Easton Dean – R-Sr. – Oswego, Kan.

Dean arrived at Iowa State as a quarterback recruit and moved to tight end in 2019. He started six games last year while battling injury and is listed as an expected starter for the season opener Saturday against UNI. Dean has excelled in the classroom as well, earning Academic All-Big 12 first team honors three times.

Beau Freyler – Jr. – Colorado Springs, Colo.

A safety for the Cyclones, Freyler has started 12 games and compiled 109 tackles in 24 games. He earned honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades in 2021 and 2022. Freyler is also a leader in the classroom, being named a College Sports Communicators (CSC) All-District selection last season.

Ben Nikkel – R-Sr. – McPherson, Kan.

Nikkel joined the Cyclones as a walk-on in 2021 and redshirted his initial season. In 2022, he played in all 12 games as a special teams standout and in August of 2023 he was placed on scholarship. Nikkel was initially a wide receiver before moving to defensive back.

Jaylin Noel – Jr. – Kansas City, Mo.

Noel is entering his junior season as a very productive wide receiver for the Cyclones. He enters his third season with 99 career receptions for 841 yards and three career touchdowns. Noel is on the Paul Hornung Award watch list, which recognizes the most versatile player in college football. He was named to the Big 12 Academic All-Rookie Team in 2021 and was an Academic All-Big 12 Second Team selection in 2022.

Gerry Vaughn – R-Sr. – Atlanta, Ga.

Vaughn, a linebacker, has made 18 career starts for the Cyclones and led the team in tackles a season ago with 71. He is Iowa State’s 2023 Jack Trice Endowed Scholarship recipient and is also on the Wuerffel Trophy watch list, which honors players who are inspired to serve others and make positive impacts on society. Vaughn is a four-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Former University of Iowa offensive lineman Eric Steinbach will serve as honorary captain when the Hawkeyes host Utah State on Saturday on Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11:03 a.m. (CT) and the game will be televised on FS1.

Steinbach, who was a four-year lettermen from 1999-2002, started all 13 games at left guard on a team that won a share of the 2002 Big Ten Championship and appeared in the program’s first Bowl Championship Series invitation (Orange Bowl). Steinbach and the rest of the Hawkeye offensive line yielded only 12 sacks in 2002, a Big Ten best.

Steinbach’s efforts garnered the senior All-America honors after being named first-team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, Associated Press, Sporting News and ESPN. He was honored as the 2002 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Steinbach was part of an offense that led the Big Ten in scoring in consecutive seasons, leading to first-team All-Big Ten accolades in 2001 and 2002. Steinbach and the 2001 Hawkeyes won seven games, including a 19-16 triumph over Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl.

The native of Joliet, Illinois, was the first player selected in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft when he was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals. Steinbach played nine seasons in the NFL in the state of Ohio, starting 124 of 125 games for Cincinnati (2003-06) and Cleveland (2007-11).

Steinbach, who will be inducted into the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend, will accompany the Iowa captains to midfield for Saturday’s pregame coin toss. He will also be with the Hawkeyes in the locker room before and after the game.

Chris Parks, Jim Field, and Matt Mullenix are back for another season of Who’s Gonna Win? With the new addition of Sports Director Asa Lucas. Each week we take a look at 8 area high school football games throughout the season. We try to provide some insight into the match-ups while competing for top prognosticator and the Whosman Trophy.

Who’s Gonna Win? is brought to you again in 2022 by Rush CPA and Associates and Fareway.

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Drake begins another challenging nonconference slate when the Bulldogs open at 17th ranked North Dakota on Saturday. Drake is looking to bounce back after posting back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since the mid-80s.

That’s senior defensive back Joey Lukrich. The Bulldogs will also play defending NAIA champ Northwestern College and defending FCS champion South Dakota State before entering the Pioneer Football League race.

Lukrich says playing nationally ranked teams prepare them for league play.

Senior offensive lineman Brenden Burton says he enjoys taking on the best teams in the FCS.

Burton says games against highly rated foes allow the Bulldogs to prove themselves.

IRVING, TX – Today, the Big 12 Conference announced Air Force Reserve as the first-ever title partner for the inaugural Big 12 Pro Day to be held in March of 2024.

The partnership affords Air Force Reserve strategic integration across the venue and on NFL Network’s broadcast of Pro Day, including full integration into the Big 12’s digital activation strategy. Air Force Reserve recruits and enlistees will receive unprecedented access to the event and will have the opportunity to compete with one another in Pro Day-inspired drills.

“I’m pleased to welcome Air Force Reserve as the first-ever title partner of the inaugural Big 12 Pro Day,” said Commissioner Brett Yormark. “Through this partnership, Air Force Reserve will see in-depth integration across one of our Conference’s most anticipated moments. As we continue to build new events for the Big 12 Conference, partnerships such as this will be crucial to their growth.”

“The Air Force Reserve’s dynamic partnership with the Big 12 provides us a tremendous opportunity to generate awareness and stoke interests of serving among its fans,” said Maj. Brian Murray, Deputy for Strategic Marketing, Air Force Recruiting Service at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. “By aligning with the Big 12 and its member schools, we forge a powerful connection to a diverse and vibrant audience.”

The Big 12 Pro Day is a first-of-its kind event and will be operated in cooperation with the National Football League. The event will take place at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, and will be the first-ever conference-wide pro day, showcasing Big 12 football talent at a world-class facility. The Big 12 and the NFL are partnering to reimagine student athlete evaluations with state of the art medical and player skill assessments designed to maximize the prospect experience.

In addition, the NFL Network brings its talent and production capabilities onsite to capture drill performances and workouts as well as provide expert commentary and analysis, packaged into nightly coverage of the event on NFL Network. The Big 12 Pro Day also will be featured within additional NFL Network programming and promoted across NFL digital and social channels.

There are a few tweaks that fans may or may not notice when it comes to timing in college football in 2023.  Big Ten football coordinator of officials Bill Corollo (kuh-ROH-loh) says there are not any major rule changes this season, other than some minor timing tweaks to speed the game up

Corollo says there is another tweak to keep the game moving along, especially at the end of games

Corollo says the most noticable tweak will come when a college team makes a first down, where in the past the clock stopped to move the chains

Corollo says officials will have to be quick on moving the chains with the clock now running after first downs

In addition, in the rare occurence that an untimed down is needed to end the first or third quarters, that play will now simply begin the following quarter with a timed down.  Teams will no longer be allowed to take back-to-back timeouts during games, either. The idea for all the tweaks is to speed up the game.  There are no major rules changes to the college game this year.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa baseball team will host three games and play the Black & Gold World Series at Duane Banks Field during the fall season, head coach Rick Heller announced on Wednesday.

The Hawkeyes will host their annual Scout Day on Sept. 15 before opening fall competition against Mississauga on Sept. 21. Iowa hosts Madison College on Sept. 29 and welcomes Indian Hills CC on Oct. 6.

Iowa’s fall slate will conclude with the Black & Gold World Series from Oct. 17-19. Game three is an if-necessary contest.

The Hawkeyes return five starters, two pitchers from the starting rotation and a total of 18 letterwinners from last year’s team that finished 44-16 and reached an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2017. Iowa welcomes 21 newcomers, including nine transfers, to this year’s team.

All fall ball games are open to the public with free admission.

2023 Fall Schedule
Sept. 15 – Scout Day (2 p.m.)
Sept. 21 – Mississauga (4 p.m.)
Sept. 29 – Madison College (3 p.m.)
Oct. 6 – Indian Hills CC (4 p.m.)
Oct. 17-19 – Black & Gold World Series (TBA)

Iowa State senior guard Grant Treiber says competition demanded by new offensive line coach Ryan Clanton will help the Cyclone offense make strides this season. ISU was last in the Big-12 in rushing a year ago by averaging 108 yards per game and they open this season on Saturday by hosting Northern Iowa.

Treiber says improvement has been evident in fall camp.

Treiber says they are excited for Saturday’s season opener.

Treiber is confident the offensive line will be much improved

Emotions will be running high on Saturday when the Iowa Hawkeyes take the field at Kinnick Stadium against Utah State. Receiver Nico Ragaini returned for his sixth and final year in the program.

Ragaini on any advice he will offer to the younger players.

The Hawkeyes enter the season considered one of the contenders in the Big Ten West. Junior defensive back Cooper DeJean.

DeJean says Utah State offers a challenge out of the gate.