The championship race is underway for Iowa State as the Cyclones get ready to host Kansas on Saturday night. At 4-1, the Cyclones are part of a five-way tie for the Big 12 lead.

That’s junior receiver Jaylin Noel. Since starting the season 1-2 the Cyclones have won four of their last five.

Iowa State is averaging better than 28 points in conference play but Noel says the Kansas defense will present challenges.

Noel is looking forward to a night game.

Junior tackle Tyler Miller on how the Cyclones bounced back from a slow start.

Miller on being in the thick of the title chase.

A key has been pass protection. The offensive line has given up only six sacks all season.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State’s Big 12 Conference football opponents for the next four seasons (2024-27) were announced Wednesday by the conference. Dates for the games will be announced at a later date.

2024

In 2024, Iowa State hosts longtime Big 12 foes Baylor, Kansas State and Texas Tech along with Cincinnati and UCF coming to Jack Trice Stadium for the first time. On the road, the Cyclones will face trips to Houston, Kansas, Utah and West Virginia.

Schedule Notes

*The games against Houston and UCF will be the first meeting in series history.

*Iowa State is 4-1 all-time against Utah with the last meeting coming in 2010. The Cyclones are 2-0 playing at Utah.

*Cincinnati will visit Ames for the first time.

2025

The 2025 Cyclone squad will host BYU, Kansas, Arizona and Arizona State in Ames. Road games will be against Cincinnati, Colorado, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and TCU.

Schedule Notes

*Iowa State faces Arizona State for the first time.

*The Cyclones will meet Arizona for the seventh time (1-4-1) but first since 1968.

*ISU revives the series against Colorado with the first meeting since 2010. It will be the 66^th meeting all-time (15-49-1).

*BYU returns to Ames for the first time since 1974 and the third time overall.

2026

In 2026, five Big 12 home games await as ISU hosts Cincinnati, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Utah and West Virginia. The Cyclones will go on the road to face Arizona, Baylor, BYU and UCF.

Schedule Notes

*The Cyclones will play at UCF for the first time.

*ISU’s game at Arizona will be the first since 1966 and the sixth overall.

2027

Iowa State hosts Colorado, Houston, TCU and UCF in 2027. The road games for that season feature tilts at Arizona State, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and West Virginia.

Schedule Notes

*Iowa State hosts Colorado in Ames for the first time since 2009.

*ISU hosts Houston and plays at Arizona State for the first time.

ISU Big 12 Future Opponents
2024
H: Baylor, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Cincinnati, UCF
A: Houston, Kansas, Utah, West Virginia

2025
H: BYU, Kansas, Arizona, Arizona State
A: Cincinnati, Colorado, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU

2026
H: Cincinnati, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Utah, West Virginia
A: Arizona, Baylor, BYU, UCF

2027
H: Colorado, Houston, TCU, UCF

A: Arizona State, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, West Virginia

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Three University of Iowa field hockey student-athletes – fifth-year Esme Gibson, senior Harper Dunne, and freshman Dionne van Aalsum – earned Big Ten Conference recognition for the 2023 season, it was announced Wednesday by the league office.

Van Aalsum was named Big Ten Freshman of the year and earned first-team All-Big Ten recognition, while Gibson earned her first first-team All-Big Ten for her third consecutive All-Big Ten recognition. Dunne was recognized as Iowa’s Sportsmanship Award recipient. Iowa has had at least one first-team All-Big Ten selection in each of the past 13 seasons.

Van Aalsum has started all 17 games this season as a freshman. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year played a key factor in the Hawkeyes’ offense as she leads the nation with 27 goals, 60 points, 1.59 goals per game, and 3.53 points per game.

The Castricum, Netherlands, native earned four Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors (Sept. 11, Sept. 18, Oct. 16, Oct. 30) and four Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors (Aug. 26, Sept. 5, Sept. 11, Oct. 30) during the regular season while also being named NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week twice. She is the first Hawkeye to win Big Ten Freshman of the year since Katie Birch in 2016 and the sixth Hawkeye overall.

Gibson garnered first-team honors after playing a big role in the Hawkeye defense that registered eight shutouts this season. The Worcestershire, England, native has scored one goal and recorded three assists.

Dunne was Iowa’s recipient for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The distinction is presented to student-athletes who display sportsmanship and ethical behavior, are in good academic standing, and demonstrate good citizenship outside of athletics. The Fort Worth, Texas, native had started in 65 consecutive games for the Hawkeyes before a season ending injury earlier this year.

No. 7 Iowa opens postseason play on Thursday, facing No. 8 Maryland at 4 p.m. (CT) in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament hosted in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

This Thursday night the (9-1) Bishop Garrigan Golden Bears will compete against the undefeated (10-0) CAM Cougars in Algona. The Golden Bears historically have had a competitive football program but have in a playoff drought since 2018. This year’s Bishop Garrigan team has ended that drought and played the role of spoiler through their first two playoff games winning against Janesville 63-6 and upsetting Remsen St. Mary’s 21-18.

The closely contented win against the defending state champions was important to the Golden Bears and Head Coach Marty Wadle credits his team’s confidence heading into the game.

The win against the Hawks was from Bishop Garrigan sticking to their identity of hardnosed football and dynamic defense. The Golden Bears ran the ball 37 times, had 208 rushing yards, and only one pass attempt.

Now the bears will continue to rely on their run game against CAM. Leading the team in carries, yards, and rushing touchdowns is senior fullback Caden Roethler. Roethler has 142 rushing attempts, with 963 yards, and 17 touchdowns. Next to him in the backfield is junior tailback Owen Murphy. The tailback has 35 carries, 185 yards, and 1 rushing touchdown.

Even with a team that has rushed for over 2100 yards, Coach Wadle expects this game to be difficult against a talented Cougar squad.

If the Golden Bears can stick to their football identity and rely on the results they’ve seen thus far. Coach Wadle believes they can make this game Thursday night competitive.

KJAN will bring you the coverage of Thursday’s matchup starting at 6:00pm with the pregame show and kickoff starting at 7:00pm.

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The Northern Iowa men’s basketball team is at home tonight against Coe College in an exhibition game. Panther coach Ben Jacobson.

The Panthers are coming off a closed scrimmage at Wisconsin.

Jacobson wants to see better offense this evening.