Houston Cougars vs Iowa State Cyclones Matchup

Check out our free Iowa State Cyclones vs Houston Cougars pick and preview for this CFB week 5 game in Houston. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 5 CFB matchup.

The Iowa State Cyclones are on the road this week, facing off against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium in Houston. Kick-off is set for 7:00 ET, and the game will be broadcast on FS1. Iowa State comes into this one with a 3-0 record, while Houston is 1-3. The Cyclones are favored by -13.5 points, and the over/under line is currently 43.5 points.

Cyclones vs. Cougars Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: Iowa State Cyclones at Houston Cougars
Where: Houston at TDECU Stadium
Date: Saturday, September 28th
Betting Odds IOWAST -13.5, IOWAST -571 | HOU +412 O/U 43.5

Cyclones Preview:

Iowa State is off to a strong start, moving to 3-0 after a 52-7 victory over Arkansas State. The Cyclones, who were -20.5 point favorites, not only won but also covered the spread. This was their third consecutive win to start the season.

The over/under line for the game was 52 points, but the teams combined for 59, hitting the over. Iowa State dominated from the start, taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and extending it to 31-0 by halftime. The Cyclones added to their lead in the second half, and although Arkansas State scored in the fourth quarter, Iowa State still came out on top by 45 points.

Cyclones Offense Breakdown

Quarterback Rocco Becht led Iowa State's offense to a 52-7 win, throwing for 204 yards and two touchdowns while completing 61.1% of his passes. Benjamin Brahmer was his top target, hauling in three catches for 73 yards.

The Cyclones' offense totaled 490 yards, with 237 yards coming on the ground. Carson Hansen led the team in rushing with 58 yards on nine carries, averaging 6.4 yards per attempt. Iowa State's ground game was dominant, scoring five touchdowns, while Becht added two more scores through the air.

Cyclones Team Defense

Iowa State's defense was dominant in their most recent game, holding Arkansas State to just 216 total yards and seven points. The Cyclones limited the Red Wolves to 98 rushing yards and 118 passing yards on 9 completions. Iowa State's secondary also came up with two interceptions.

Cougars Preview:

Cougars Offense Breakdown

In Houston's 34-0 loss to Cincinnati, the Cougars' offense was limited to 233 total yards, with 141 of those coming on the ground. Quarterback Donovan Smith completed 11 of 16 passes for 73 yards, and he was intercepted once, finishing with a passer rating of 52.34. The Cougars managed just 92 passing yards, with Smith connecting with Joseph Manjack IV for 51 yards on two receptions.

On the ground, Re'Shaun Sanford II led the team with 62 yards on six carries, averaging 10.3 yards per attempt. The Cougars picked up 12 first downs but were unable to score in the game.

Cougars Team Defense

In their 34-0 defeat to Cincinnati, Houston's defense allowed 364 total yards. The Cougars had particular trouble stopping the run, giving up 151 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns. Through the air, they allowed 213 yards on 15 completions, with Cincinnati attempting 19 passes against them.

Cyclones vs Cougars Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Iowa State Cyclones have a straight up record of 5-5 while going 6-4 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 24 points per game in these contests.
In their last ten games at home, the Houston Cougars have a straight up record of 3-7 while going 5-5 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 26 points per game in these contests.
Through their last three games as the betting underdog, the Houston Cougars have a strong record vs the spread going 2-1. Their straight up mark in these contests is 0-3.
The last ten games that Iowa State was favored, they have an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 6-4 straight up.