We have made it! The NCAA Football season is finally here, with Week 0 kicking things off this Saturday. We’ve got a huge top 25 matchup between two Big 12 foes over in Ireland, as the No. 22 Iowa State Cyclones take on the No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats. While we only have a few other games on the college football slate, we broke down the ins and outs of this matchup and found our favorite picks and predictions in this contest.
Check out the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks. Plus, it’s not too late to add more futures to your portfolio so take some time to check out our Power Four Conference Previews below.
Iowa State Cyclones vs. Kansas State Wildcats: NCAA Football Insights
Jayce Brown is back out wide for the Wildcats this season
Matchup Information – Iowa State vs. Kansas State – August 23
- Venue & Location: Aviva Stadium (Dublin, Ireland)
- Date: Saturday, August 23, 2025
- Kick Off: 12:00 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: ESPN
Iowa State vs. Kansas State Betting Odds
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Spread
- Iowa State +3 (-108)
- Kansas State -3 (-112)
Moneyline
- Iowa State +140
- Kansas State -160
Total
- Over 49.5 (-110)
- Under 49.5 (-110)
Can Matt Campbell lead the Cyclones to a victory over the Wildcats this weekend?
You don’t always get an exciting matchup in Week 0, let alone an international game involving two ranked teams. Quite the treat the NCAA has given us with Farmageddon being played in the land of potatoes.
With this game being over in Ireland, you’ve got to look at the weather. Now, I am a firm believer that the impact the weather has on the game is already baked into the betting lines, however, it’s good to monitor just in case. As of Tuesday afternoon, we’re not seeing any rain in Dublin until next week, with it being cool and cloudy for kick off on Saturday.
Both Iowa State and Kansas State are planning on being at the top of their wide open Big 12 Conference, and I see no reason why they shouldn’t be.
There is no clear cut favorite in the Big 12 right now, and the loser of this game will benefit from losing a tough matchup very early in the season. Assuming it is competitive, people will forget about this loss if you excel the rest of your season.
Point being, while both teams want to win this contest, the Big 12 Championship will likely be played between teams with at least two conference losses. Either team could rebound and have a very successful season, regardless of this matchup’s result.
We’re set for a very competitive contest to kick off this college football season, so let’s get into our favorite picks.
Iowa State vs. Kansas State Picks and Predictions
Iowa State vs. Kansas State Prediction: Kansas State Wins & Covers, Over 49.5
You’re getting the best of both worlds, as my wonderful Up Your Units co-host, Colby Marchio, and I both have picks in this matchup. We’ll cover a side, the total, and give you a player prop for Farmageddon. Look for more combo pieces from the crew this football season, and check out what we have for Saturday’s contest.
Rocco Becht and Iowa State start their season in Ireland
Colby’s Best Bet: ISU/KSU Over 49.5 (-110) BetOnline
Colby Marchio: They call it “Farmageddon,” Kansas State versus Iowa State. This edition of the rivalry is heading overseas to our Guinness-loving friends in Dublin, Ireland. I wish Nate and I were going, but sadly, we will have to enjoy it from our couches with freshly poured cans of Guinness. How embarrassing.
I digress.
I like the over in this matchup, not because I want to root for points fresh out of the gate in Week 0, but because every article and piece of content I have seen has barely touched on the defensive side of the ball. That leads me to believe both offenses will be the stars of the show, which I fully anticipate.
Both teams return their starting quarterbacks. Kansas State still has Avery Johnson running the show, and Iowa State will have Rocco Becht under center. Both quarterbacks should be among the BIG 12’s top stars this season.
On top of that, both offenses return their standout running backs. The Cyclones will feature the tag team of Carsen Hensen and Abu Sama. Hensen took over for Sama midseason last year and finished with over 750 yards on the ground. Both backs combined for more than 1,200 total rushing yards. Kansas State still has standout running back Dylan Edwards and will be looking for Joe Jackson to step up in the backfield as well.
The receiving corps remains strong, and with another year of Johnson at quarterback, the Wildcats should make a significant leap forward. Sophomore Jayce Brown looks poised to lead the way this season. In 2024, Brown emerged as a top target as the number two receiver, and he is poised for an explosive season.
The Cyclones did lose star receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to the draft, but they have a deep tight end room led by Gabe Burkle and Benjamin Brahmer, who are expected to make a significant impact in the passing game. They also added former UCF receiver Xavier Townsend and Chase Sowell from East Carolina. These additions should help sustain the passing game, though it will not be as explosive as last season.
Both defenses have many question marks. Phil Steele projects each to allow an average of 24.4 points per game. He sees Kansas State potentially giving up 350 yards and 25 points per game due to concerns in the secondary. Iowa State has a strong linebacker corps but is still projected to allow 24.4 points per game.
I have immense respect for both quarterbacks and would rather back them than the defenses in game one. I also plan to be patient with this total, as the game will be played in wet, soggy Dublin. Still, I really want 49.5 on my card.
Avery Johnson will use his legs this Saturday to lead the Wildcats to victory
Nate’s Best Bet: Kansas State ML (-160) BetOnline
Nate Hornung: Look, it’s juicy, and the (-142) that I snagged doesn’t exist anymore. I’d be comfortable laying the -3 if you so choose, regardless I’m big on Kansas State this season. They are my pick to win the Big 12 conference, and that starts with a win in Ireland over Iowa State on Saturday.
Rocco Becht and company looked horrendous in the Big 12 Championship last season, and now they have to replace leading wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, who accounted for 60.2% of the team’s receptions, 66.4% of their receiving yards, and 68% of their receiving touchdowns. Replacing all of that production is not easy, and I just don’t think they’ll have it all figured out for arguably their toughest conference matchup in Week 0.
I also have a lot of faith in Wildcats’ QB Avery Johnson this season, which is why I am on his over 45.5 rushing yards at (-115). If you want, pair the K-State ML with Johnson to get 40+ yards, it should be plus money. This guy is going to run all over the Cyclones.
Kansas State’s offensive line returns three starters, including four super seniors and a redshirt junior. There’s plenty of veteran experience and leadership in the trenches. Last year, the Cats ranked No. 72 in rush attempts per game, but were No. 12 in rushing yards per game (210), and No. 2 in the nation in yards per carry (5.9). That’s some phenomenal efficiency from the ground game.
Avery Johnson had 13 carries for 64 yards against the Cyclones last year, including a 21 yard rush and just one sack. Kansas State’s O-Line also ranked No. 13 in sacks allowed, giving up just 1.1 per game last season.
Now, the Cyclones return 9/11 defensive starters, which isn’t a problem, except for the fact that THEY SUCKED. Specifically their rushing defense.
Iowa State gave up 189 rushing yards per game last year, ballooning to 201 away from home. This ranked No. 105 in the country, only consisting of 134 teams. They also ranked No. 125 in yards allowed per carry, giving up 5.5 yards per rush, ranking in the bottom 10 teams of D-1 football.
I’m not done quite yet.
You might be worried about sacks, since that yardage counts against a quarterback’s rushing yards. However, the Cyclones were bottom five, ranking No. 130 in sack percentage last year, getting to the opposing QB less than once per game.
We know Avery Johnson can run, and we are all excited to see him throw a bit more this season. But in this opening game, I expect him to extend some plays with his legs and show us he is still a prolific runner, while he continues to get more comfortable slinging the pill.
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