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Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell previews Big 12 championship game vs Arizona State
Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell on Arizona State’s offense
Hear what Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell said about Arizona State’s offense ahead of the Big 12 championship.
AMES — Less than a week ago, Iowa State football made history.
The No. 16 Cyclones finished the regular season with a win, beating Kansas State 29-21, to secure a 10-win season for the first time in program history.
But the team’s focus quickly turned from celebration to preparation for the Big 12 championship game, where the Cyclones will take on No. 13 Arizona State at 11 a.m. Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
Here are three takeaways from head coach Matt Campbell’s media availability ahead of the title game.
Arizona State poses several threats on offense
There’s been a lot of focus on the loss of Jordyn Tyson – Arizona State’s 1,000-yard receiver – who will miss the Big 12 championship with an injury.
But that doesn’t mean the Sun Devils are out of options on offense. Wide receiver Xavier Guillory totaled 291 yards and three touchdowns on 17 receptions, averaging 17.12 yards per catch. Tight end Chamon Metayer is another threat, recording 285 yards and five touchdowns on 28 catches.
And then there is running back Cam Skattebo, who is just as big a threat catching passes as he is running the football.
“They’re dynamic,” Campbell said of Arizona State’s offense. “They have such a unique ability to put the pressure on the defense in every way, shape and form. Obviously, you never want to lose a good football player this time of year.
“But good football teams have great players, and they’ve certainly got a collection of those guys.”
Arizona State’s turnover margin could cause problems
If there is one thing that the Sun Devils do well, it’s create turnovers.
Arizona State boasts a turnover margin of plus-11, meaning it has caused nearly a dozen more turnovers than they’ve given up. That margin of 11 is the 11th-best among all FBS teams.
The Sun Devils recovered five fumbles and have lost three. But the real difference is in interceptions, where Arizona State has 14 to its opponents’ cumulative five.
“Just look at their last four games, they’ve been able to create turnovers early and often,” Campbell said. “Whether it’s been on defense or whether it’s been on special teams, they’ve had the ability to attack and certainly be the aggressor.”
Iowa State injury update
It feels like each week, there is a laundry list of injury updates on injured players, and the week heading into the conference championship is no different.
Campbell provided updates on linebackers Caleb Bacon and Cael Brezina, defensive back Mailk Verdon and tight end Ben Brahmer.
“Caleb is back doing football activity, and I think he’s a lot closer than he is farther away,” Campbell said. “He’s still not ruled out for the season, so I think that’s a huge positive for Iowa State football.
“Ben’s a lot closer, was out on the practice field today. Where is he, can he really go in and play? We’ll see as the week continues. Cael is probably still a question mark right now, and then Malik, was out at practice today, so I think there’s a real possibility that he would be able to be available for us.”
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.