College Football Week: Cyclones Look To Build Off 2012 Bowl Berth

Published on Monday, 13 August 2012 14:57

Welcome to College Football Week on the GLMG blog! Over the course of the next week, you'll get season previews for four college football teams getting ready to kick off their seasons on campuses nearby our hotels. Our first preview comes to you from our Story City hotel, just up the road from Ames, Iowa, home of the Iowa State Cyclones.

The 2011 Iowa State football season had a little bit of everything. From the thrilling highs, like beating then-No. 2 Oklahoma State in double-overtime, to the head-shaking lows, like the three straight losses that followed, the Cyclones always seemed to leave fans scratching their heads, for good or bad.

Certainly, some of that inconsistency can be blamed on the Cyclones tough 2011 schedule, which featured no fewer than seven games against top-25 teams. But don't expect things to get any easier this season, during which the Cyclones will play six teams currently ranked in the top 25.

Three of those six games come at Jack Trice Stadium, when the Cyclones play their home games. After two non-conference home tune-ups and the annual battle for the Cy-Hawk trophy at Iowa, the Cyclones open up Big 12 play with a home game against Texas Tech Sept. 29.

Beating the Red Raiders will be an important step for the Cyclones, who will then face three ranked opponents in a row. Sandwiched in between away games against Big 12 newcomer No. 17 TCU and No. 19 Oklahoma State, is a home showdown against No. 21 Kansas State Oct. 13. The game against the Wildcats falls on Family Weekend, which is a great opportunity to take the kids to their first game (click here to book your stay!).

After their trip to Stillwater, the Cyclones celebrate Homecoming with a matchup against unranked Baylor Oct. 27, another opportunity to have some fun and spend the weekend at our Story City hotel. Iowa State's final two home games are arguably their two toughest. They come the following week against No. 4 Oklahoma and the final week of the regular season (Nov. 23) against No. 11 West Virginia in a nationally-televised affair.

Coach Paul Rhodes is looking to steer the Cyclones to their third bowl game in his fourth year on the job. To do that, he may need to resolve a problem that's plagued the program for decades and figures to be the major question mark entering this season.: quarterback play. Rhodes and his staff have yet to pick between senior Steele Jantz and sophomore Jared Barnett, who split time last season, for the starting job.

Planning on heading to Jack Trice Stadium for a Cyclones game this season? Consider posting up at our Story City hotel, Comfort Inn Story City, during your stay!