Venue & Game Details
Kickoff Time: 7:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM CT
Venue: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa
Capacity: ~61,500
Broadcast: ESPN
Weather Forecast (Ames, IA)
Kickoff Temperature: ~69°F (21°C)
Conditions: Partly cloudy, light breeze
Wind: 6–9 mph from the northwest
Precipitation: ~10% chance of showers
Impact: Ideal fall football weather; minimal effect on play.
Injury Report
Arizona Wildcats:
QB Noah Fifita – healthy, 712 yards, 6 TDs, 0 INTs.
RB Ismail Mahdi – healthy, 263 yards, 1 TD.
WR Javin Whatley – healthy, 237 yards, 2 TDs.
CB Genesis Smith – questionable (ankle).
Iowa State Cyclones:
QB Rocco Becht – healthy, 860 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT.
RB Carson Hansen – healthy, 252 yards, 2 TDs.
WR Xavier Townsend – healthy, 92 yards last week.
LB Marcus Neal Jr. – healthy, team leader in tackles.
Key Player Matchups
Noah Fifita (Arizona QB) vs. Iowa State Secondary
Fifita has been turnover-free through 3 games.
Cyclones’ defense allows just 14.3 ppg, top-20 nationally.
Rocco Becht (ISU QB) vs. Arizona Pass Rush
Becht averaging 215 ypg with 7 TDs.
Arizona defense has 9 sacks and 1 INT through 3 games.
Ismail Mahdi (Arizona RB) vs. Cyclones Front Seven
Mahdi averaging 7.1 ypc.
ISU allows 161 rushing ypg, a potential weak spot.
Xavier Townsend (ISU WR) vs. Wildcats Corners
Townsend is Becht’s big-play target.
Arizona’s secondary has allowed just 8.7 ppg overall.
Recent Team Form
Arizona Wildcats (3–0)
W 23–17 vs. Kansas State (Week 3)
W 48–3 vs. Weber State (Week 2)
W 40–6 vs. Hawaii (Week 1)
Strengths: Balanced offense (248 pass ypg, 189 rush ypg).
Weaknesses: Turnovers (lost 2 vs. K-State).
Iowa State Cyclones (4–0)
W 24–16 vs. Arkansas State (Week 4)
W 24–21 vs. Kansas State (Week 3)
W 16–13 vs. Iowa (Week 2)
W 55–7 vs. South Dakota (Week 1)
Strengths: Defense (14.3 ppg allowed), efficient QB play.
Weaknesses: Inconsistent offensive line play.
Conference vs. Conference
Both are Big 12 members (Arizona joined in 2024).
This is a conference matchup with early-season Big 12 title race implications.
Series History
All-time series: First-ever meeting between Arizona and Iowa State.
Trend: Historic debut matchup in Ames.
Betting Trends
Arizona Wildcats:
3–0 ATS in 2025.
4–1 ATS in last 5 September games as an underdog.
4 of last 5 September games have gone Under.
Iowa State Cyclones:
3–1 ATS in 2025.
6–1 ATS in last 7 home games.
5 of last 7 games have gone Under.
Historical Betting Results
No prior head-to-head betting history.
Arizona has covered 4 of last 5 as a September underdog.
Iowa State has won 8 of last 9 overall, covering 6 of those.
Game Odds
Arizona Wildcats 49.5
Iowa State Cyclones – 6
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025
