Oct 7, 2026 · 53 min
Iowa State sees a real opening against BYU
The Beat Reporters: An opportunity against BYU, the NBA at Hilton
The matchup tests whether Iowa State can turn defensive discipline, healthier offensive options, and a difficult road setting into a meaningful opportunity.
- 1Iowa State must contain Bear Bachmeier’s mobility, limit explosive plays, and win third downs against BYU’s physical offense.
- 2The Cyclones can pressure BYU with Rocco Becht, Legend Glasker, River Peppers, and players returning from injury.
- 3Tyrese Haliburton’s Hilton return and Jake Brend’s Monte Morris interview add basketball history to the football preview.
Don't miss
The hosts revisit Jake Brend’s youthful, awkward NBA locker-room interview with Monte Morris and reflect on the courage required to pursue it.
The brief
Tyrese Haliburton’s return to Hilton Coliseum opens a football-focused episode with Iowa State basketball history, from his Achilles recovery to the student atmosphere he helped create.
Jake Brend, Rob Gray, and Jackson Pence frame BYU as a physical, dangerous opponent whose quarterback Bear Bachmeier can punish missed assignments with efficiency and mobility.
Iowa State’s defensive checklist is clear: tackle cleanly, limit quarterback runs and explosive plays, generate pressure, and finish third downs and red-zone possessions.
The panel sees offensive answers in Rocco Becht, Legend Glasker, River Peppers, and players returning from injury, while stressing disciplined development against a difficult road environment.
A vintage Monte Morris interview becomes the episode’s standout moment, prompting Jake Brend and the panel to revisit early reporting risks, locker-room nerves, and Cyclone connections.
With injuries and shifting expectations in view, the reporters call BYU a major opportunity for Iowa State before basketball media days and the football bye week.