Iowa State lost to Oklahoma 34-24 on their home field last night. This is progress for Iowa State, a historically bereft program on the less populous side of Iowa with a history of losing football games, and losing them very, very badly. Matt Campbell, a very good coach, has the Cyclones playing disciplined, organized, and energetic football. Despite being 1-8 on the year, they have taken Baylor, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State to the wire in single digit losses.
It’s getting better in Ames. None of this is to make fun of them, but to point out that in the 128 team landscape of college football, there are haves, and have-nots, and then the ain’t-never-had-and-never-will-nots.