Iowa
PODCAST: What’s ailing the Iowa basketball programs after tough losses
Video: Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery reacts to loss to USC
Fran McCaffery talks Iowa basketball’s 99-89 loss to USC.
Men’s basketball leads our conversation this week, following the Hawkeyes’ 99-89 loss to USC late Tuesday night.
The Register’s Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman look at the mercurial nature of Iowa’s play of late, wonder who Fran McCaffery trusts and look ahead to Friday’s game at UCLA.
Chad and Tyler also discuss Mark Gronowski’s surgery and its impact on the Iowa football quarterback derby.
To finish, Chad is joined by Dargan Southard to help find perspective and solutions surrounding the Iowa women’s basketball team’s three-game slide.
For a direct link to the podcast, click here.
Iowa
Former ADM Star Helps Iowa State Snap Losing Skid
A former Iowa high school football standout played a major role in helping Iowa State football end a tough losing skid.
Aiden Flora, who shined in several different ways at ADM High School, returned a punt 79 yards Saturday for the game-winning points in a much-needed 20-17 victory for the Cyclones at TCU.
79-YARD PUNT RETURN TD 😤
Aiden Flora takes it ALL THE WAY for @CycloneFB ‼️ pic.twitter.com/a5PUfETK33
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 8, 2025
With the win, Iowa State snapped a four-game losing skid and improved to 6-4 on the season.
After the Cyclones had cut the deficit from 17-6 to 17-12 on a short touchdown run by Carson Hansen, the defense – playing with several key starters – forced a quick three-and-out by the Horned Frogs.
From there, Flora took over the game, darting his way to the end zone on the ensuing punt with Hansen adding the two-point conversion for the final score.
Flora, a redshirt freshman who is listed as a running back on the official Iowa State roster, has already been named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week once this year.
As a true freshman for Iowa State last season, Flora saw action in six games. The walk-on ran 11 times for 53 yards with a touchdown, adding a six-yard receptions. He scored his rushing touchdown against Arkansas State and had a key 12-yard run and six-yard catch in the Pop-Tarts Bowl win over Miami.
While guiding ADM to success at the high school ranks in Iowa, Flora was a dual-threat, throwing for 1,124 yards and rushing for 1,932 during his senior season, helping the Tigers reach the Class 4A Iowa high school football state playoff quarterfinals. He threw 13 touchdown passes and ran in 27, earning multiple all-state honors in the process.
Flora racked up 1,773 yards passing with 19 touchdowns and ran for 1,662 yards and 17 more scores during his junior season. He averaged over 11 yards per carry that year. As a sophomore, he had 212 yards rushing and caught 10 passes for 108 yards with five total touchdowns.
Flora selected the Cyclones over offers from Air Force and Army.
Iowa State has a week off before returning home to host Kansas on Saturday, November 22. They conclude the regular season the following weekend at Oklahoma State.
The win over TCU has the Cyclones bowl eligible for a third consecutive season, the first time that has happened since 2017-19.
Iowa
How to watch Iowa State vs TCU today, time, TV channel for Week 11 college football game
Chase Sowell on Iowa State football’s mentality after four losses
Hear from Iowa State wide receiver Chase Sowell on how the Cyclones are handling four-straight losses and looking ahead to TCU.
Iowa State football continues its 2025 season on Saturday, Nov. 8, with a Big 12 Conference road game against TCU.
The Cyclones (5-4, 2-4 Big 12) have lost four straight games following a 5-0 start and are hoping to find some answers this week.
The Horned Frogs (6-2, 3-2) have won two straight contests, most recently 23-17 over West Virginia before enjoying a bye week last Saturday.
Here are details on how to watch head coach Matt Campbell’s group try to get back on track:
Stream Iowa State vs. TCU for free on FUBO
What channel is Iowa State vs. TCU on today?
Iowa State vs. TCU will broadcast nationally on FOX in Week 11 of the 2025 college football season. Connor Onion and Mark Helfrich will call the game from the booth at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 8
- Start time: 2:30 p.m. CT
The Iowa State vs. TCU game starts at 2:30 p.m. CT from Amon G. Carter Stadium in Forth Worth, Texas.
Stream Iowa State vs. TCU on FUBO (free trial)
Iowa State vs. TCU prediction, picks, betting odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday evening.
- TCU 35, Iowa State 21. “The Cyclones’ haven’t been all-awful during this four-game stretch, but Saturday’s performance against Arizona State, plus the defensive injuries, are concerning. I think it’s probably best to doubt Iowa State until the Cyclones can prove otherwise.” – Travis Hines (full prediction column)
- Spread: Iowa State +7.5
- Moneyline: Iowa State +235, TCU -290
- Over/under: 57.5
To see a full list of ticket prices, visit StubHub.
Buy Iowa State football tickets
Iowa
Kim Reynolds creates task force to plan America’s 250th birthday celebration. Who’s on it?
Trump announces ‘America250’ celebration, says 2026 Iowa event planned
A part of the “America250” celebration, Trump said an event dubbed “The Great American State Fair” will start in Iowa.
Gov. Kim Reynolds has named a task force to prepare Iowa to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence next year.
Reynolds signed an executive order on Nov. 6 creating the task force, named the Governor’s Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday, which will be led by Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.
In a statement, Reynolds said she was honored to launch the task force.
“Ever since President Donald Trump visited the Iowa State Fairgrounds to kick off the 250th celebration, my administration has been working to coordinate our own year-long celebration,” she said. “I look forward to showcasing the incredible contributions Iowans have made throughout our nation’s history.”
Trump visited the Iowa State Fairgrounds on July 3 for an event kicking off America250, the national yearlong celebration of the nation’s semiquincentennial, leading to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.
“Iowa has a prominent place in American history more than deserving of displaying for our country’s 250th birthday,” Cournoyer said in a statement. “I want to thank Gov. Reynolds for appointing me to lead this task force with the goal of acknowledging Iowa’s impact on American excellence over the years.”
Naig said he was grateful to help lead the task force.
“America 250 is an incredible opportunity to celebrate the people who have and continue to make our nation exceptional, as well as the values that built this country — faith, family and freedom,” he said. “I look forward to working with partners across the state to highlight Iowa’s important contributions to our nation’s history over the last 250 years.”
Twenty-one Iowans will serve on the task force, including four ex officio members made up of a Republican and Democratic lawmaker from the Iowa House and Senate, who will be appointed by their legislative leaders.
The remaining members of the task force are:
- Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer
- Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig
- Secretary of State Paul Pate
- Department of Administrative Services Director Mark Campbell
- Department of Management Director Kraig Paulsen
- Department of Economic Development and Iowa Finance Authority Director Debi Durham
- Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow
- Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon
- Iowa National Guard Major General Stephen Osborn
- Department of Veterans Affairs Director Todd Jacobus
- Iowa State Fair CEO Jeremy Parsons
- Member selected by the Iowa Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution
- Member selected by the Iowa Society of the Sons of the American Revolution
- The FAMiLY Leader President and CEO Bob Vander Plaats
- RMA Armament Founder and CEO Blake Waldrop
- Stellar Industries President and CEO Dave Zrostlik
- Cambrex (Charles City) President Joe Nettleton
Reynolds’ executive order directs the task force to issue a report within 120 days detailing plans for the country’s anniversary celebrations in Iowa.
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller.
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