The 2021 Iowa State Cyclones football team represented Iowa State University as a member of Big 12 Conference during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Matt Campbell, the Cyclones compiled an overall record of 7–6 with a mark of 5–4 in conference play, placing fourth in the Big 12. Iowa State was invited to the Cheez-It Bowl, the Cyclones lost to Clemson. The team played home games at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.
Iowa State began the season ranked seventh in the AP poll, the highest preseason ranking in program history.
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries Vs. No. 21 (FCS) Northern Iowa
Statistics UNI ISU First downs 13 17 Total yards 275 336 Rushes/yards 26/45 34/136 Passing yards 230 199 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–34–2 21–26–0 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 28:48 31:12 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Iowa Passing Will McElvain 21–34, 230 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Dom Williams 12 CAR, 43 YDS Receiving Quan Hampton 8 REC, 99 YDS, 1 TDIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 21–26, 199 yards Rushing Breece Hall 23 CAR, 69 YDS, 1 TD Receiving Xavier Hutchinson 7 REC, 88 YDS
Vs. No. 10 Iowa
Statistics IOWA ISU First downs 11 21 Total yards 173 339 Rushes/yards 39/67 27/87 Passing yards 106 252 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–21–0 24–43–3 Turnovers 0 4 Time of possession 28:22 31:38 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa Passing Spencer Petras 11–21, 106 YDS, 1 TD Rushing Tyler Goodson 21 CAR, 55 YDS, 1 TD Receiving Charlie Jones 2 REC, 36 YDS, 1 TDIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 13–27, 138 YDS, 3 INT Rushing Breece Hall 16 CAR, 69 YDS, 1 TD Receiving Darren Wilson Jr. 2 REC, 56 YDS
At UNLV
Statistics ISU UNLV First downs 27 7 Total yards 493 134 Rushes/yards 37/184 31/40 Passing yards 309 94 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–30–0 10–19–1 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 32:14 27:46 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 21–24, 288 YDS, 3 TD Rushing Breece Hall 21 CAR, 100 YDS, 2 TD Receiving Xavier Hutchinson 10 REC, 133 YDS, 2 TDUNLV Passing Cameron Friel 8–13, 67 YDS, 1 INT Rushing Charles Williams 19 CAR, 42 YDS Receiving Giovanni Fauolo Sr. 4 REC, 36 YDS
At Baylor
Statistics ISU BU First downs 27 15 Total yards 479 282 Rushes/yards 40/216 33/123 Passing yards 263 159 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–33–1 14–19–0 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 35:39 24:21 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 22–33, 263 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Breece Hall 27 CAR, 190 YDS, 2 TD Receiving Chase Allen 7 REC, 98 YDSBaylor Passing Gerry Bohanon 14–19, 159 YDS, 2 TD Rushing Abram Smith 10 CAR, 47 YDS Receiving R. J. Sneed 4 REC, 57 YDS
Vs. Kansas
Statistics KUISU First downs 18 25 Total yards 302 564 Rushes/yards 44/175 33/290 Passing yards 127 274 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–22–1 19–27–0 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 33:15 26:45 Team Category Player StatisticsKansas Passing Jason Bean 10–20, 120 YDS, 1 INT Rushing Devin Neal 15 CAR, 83 YDS Receiving Trevor Wilson 3 REC, 55 YDSIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 17–22, 245 YDS, 4 TD Rushing Breece Hall 17 CAR, 123 YDS, 2 TD Receiving Xavier Hutchinson 7 REC, 96, 1 TD
At Kansas State
Statistics ISU KSU First downs 19 21 Total yards 418 342 Rushes/yards 35/210 33/136 Passing yards 208 206 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–25–0 15–23–1 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 33:45 26:15 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 22–25, 208 YDS, 1 TD Rushing Breece Hall 30 CAR, 197 YDS, 2 TD Receiving Jaylin Noel 5 REC, 48 YDSKansas State Passing Skylar Thompson 15–23, 206 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT Rushing Deuce Vaughn 18 CAR, 99 YDS Receiving Phillip Brooks 3 REC, 54 YDS, 1 TD
Vs. No. 8 Oklahoma State
Statistics OSUISU First downs 16 18 Total yards 332 374 Rushes/yards 32/107 33/67 Passing yards 127 274 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–24–0 27–33–0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 25:49 34:11 Team Category Player StatisticsOklahoma State Passing Spencer Sanders 15–24, 225 YDS, 3 TD Rushing Jaylen Warren 18 CAR, 76 YDS Receiving Brennan Presley 6 REC, 84 YDS, 2 TDIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 27–33, 307 YDS, 2 TD Rushing Breece Hall 21 CAR, 70 YDS, 1 TD Receiving Xavier Hutchinson 12 REC, 125 YDS, 2 TD
At West Virginia
Statistics ISU WVU First downs 16 28 Total yards 424 492 Rushes/yards 34/239 29/122 Passing yards 185 370 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–27–0 30–47–2 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 25:42 34:18 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 16–27, 185 YDS, 1 TD Rushing Breece Hall 24 CAR, 167 YDS, 1 TD Receiving Tarique Milton 1 REC, 68 YDS, 1 TDWest Virginia Passing Jarret Doege 30-46, 370 YDS, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Leddie Brown 22 CAR, 109 YDS, 2 TD Receiving Bryce Ford-Wheaton 3 REC, 54 YDS, 1 TD
Vs. Texas
Statistics UTISU First downs 11 23 Total yards 205 476 Rushes/yards 35/102 34/175 Passing yards 103 301 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–29–0 28–39–0 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 25:02 34:58 Team Category Player StatisticsTexas Passing Hudson Card 14-23, 101 YDS, 1 TD Rushing Bijan Robinson 18 CAR, 90 YDS Receiving Bijan Robinson 8 REC, 36 YDSIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 27-38, 252 YDS Rushing Breece Hall 9 CAR, 136 YDS, 2 TD Receiving Xavier Hutchinson 8 REC, 96 YDS
At Texas Tech
Statistics ISU TTU First downs 26 23 Total yards 445 529 Rushes/yards 25/89 34/207 Passing yards 356 322 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 32-42–2 25-33–1 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 27:27 32:33 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 32-42, 356 YDS, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Breece Hall 18 CAR, 51 YDS, 2 TD Receiving Xavier Hutchinson 8 REC, 112 YDSTexas Tech Passing Donovan Smith 25-32, 322 YDS, 3 TD, 1 INT Rushing Tahj Brooks 9 CAR, 80 YDS, 1 TD Receiving Myles Price 9 REC, 175 YDS, 1 TD
At No. 13 Oklahoma
Statistics ISU OU First downs 25 14 Total yards 361 305 Rushes/yards 35/51 34/209 Passing yards 310 96 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 35-52–2 9-19–1 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 38:20 21:40 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 30-43, 281 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Breece Hall 19 CAR, 58 YDS, 1 TD Receiving Charlie Kolar 12 REC, 152 YDS, 1 TDOklahoma Passing Caleb Williams 8-18, 87 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Kennedy Brooks 17 CAR, 115 YDS Receiving Marvin Mims 1 REC, 22 YDS
Vs. TCU
Statistics TCUISU First downs 18 22 Total yards 348 541 Rushes/yards 39/132 23/279 Passing yards 216 262 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–26–1 21–30–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 34:35 25:25 Team Category Player StatisticsTCU Passing Max Duggan 15-26, 216 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT Rushing Emari Demercado 15 CAR, 65 YDS Receiving Derius Davis 4 REC, 63 YDSIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 21-30, 262 YDS, 2 TD Rushing Breece Hall 18 CAR, 242 YDS, 3 TD Receiving Xavier Hutchinson 7 REC, 107 YDS
Vs. No. 19 Clemson—Cheez-It Bowl
Statistics CLEMISU First downs 20 14 Total yards 315 270 Rushes/yards 40/128 21/66 Passing yards 187 204 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–33–1 23–39–1 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 32:10 27:50 Team Category Player StatisticsCLEMSON Passing DJ Uiagalelei 21-32, 187 YDS, 1 INT Rushing Will Shipley 18 CAR, 61 YDS, 1 TD Receiving Dacari Collins 6 REC, 56 YDSIowa State Passing Brock Purdy 23-39, 204 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jirehl Brock 14 CAR, 42 YDS Receiving Jaylin Noel 4 REC, 54 YDS
Coaching staff Matt Campbell Head coach 6th Toledo (HC) Jon Heacock Defensive coordinator 6th Toledo (DC) Tom Manning Offensive coordinator 5th Indianapolis Colts (TE) Tyson Veidt Assistant head coach/linebackers 6th Toledo (LB) Eli Rasheed Defensive line 6th Toledo (DL) Joel Gordon Passing game coordinator/QB 6th Ferrum (OC) Jeff Myers Offensive line 6th Toledo (graduate assistant) Nathan Scheelhaase Run game coordinator/running backs/wide receivers 4th Illinois (offensive analyst) Matt Caponi Cornerbacks 3rd West Virginia (DB) Taylor Mouser Tight ends 6th Toledo (GA) Deon Broomfield Safeties 1st Houston Texans (DA) Jake Waters Offensive quality control 2nd UTEP (WR)
TV ratings +OpponentOutletViewersRatingNorthern IowaESPN+††IowaABC3.8902.2@ UNLVCBSSN††@ BaylorFOX2.012M1.1KansasFS1262K0.17@ Kansas StateESPN2608K0.31Oklahoma StateFOX2.659M1.6@ West VirginiaESPN+††TexasFS1907K0.47@ Texas TechESPN2676K0.37@ OklahomaFOX3.103M1.9TCUFS1518K0.26vs. ClemsonESPN4.902M2.8 All totals via Sports Media Watch. Streaming numbers not included. † - Data not available.
References