Rocco Becht, Quarterback
In his first full year as a starter, Rocco Becht has emerged as one of the key pieces in the Iowa State offense. The redshirt freshman from Wesley Chapel, Florida has thrown for 15 touchdowns this year to seven interceptions at a 62.1% clip. Though his stats may not pop off the page, Becht’s play has evolved week by week throughout the season. In his last game against BYU, Becht threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-13 slamming of the Cougars. Though not known as a runner, Becht has proven that he can scramble and pick up first downs, a trait that Texas’ defense has notably struggled against in recent weeks.
Jayden Higgins, Wide Receiver
One of Becht’s favorite targets this season has been Jayden Higgins. The 6-foot-4-inch matchup nightmare has made opposing defenses work all year. Higgins is currently averaging over 17 yards a reception, good enough for fifth in the Big 12. In the Cincinnati game a month ago, Higgins hauled in six catches for 172 yards including a 75-yarder right before halftime. His ability to burn you deep poses a big problem for Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, whose unit ranks 105th in the nation in passing yards allowed. Also, be on the lookout for fellow wide receiver Jaylin Noel. The duo could have a field day if the Longhorn secondary is unable to tighten up its coverage.
Beau Freyler, Defensive Back
Iowa State’s defense ranks top in the conference in total defense, a lot of that can be attributed to junior defensive back Beau Freyler. The Cyclones’ Swiss Army knife ranks first on the team with 73 tackles to go along with three interceptions and one sack. Freyler’s best performance came against TCU, where he registered 11 tackles and two red zone interceptions. For his efforts, the Big 12 named him the Defensive Player of the Week for Week 6. Freyler is just one part of an Iowa State secondary that has allowed only 204.3 passing yards a contest. With Texas starting quarterback Quinn Ewers only playing in his second game back from injury, look for Freyler and the rest of the Cyclone defense to make his life difficult on Saturday.
Caleb Bacon, Linebacker
Another piece of the intimidating Iowa State defense is linebacker Caleb Bacon. Aside from having a creative NIL deal with the Iowa Pork Producers Association, Bacon’s play has been outstanding. The former walk-on has racked up 37 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble so far this season. Bacon’s presence could pose a big problem for the Texas running game, who lost star running back Jonathon Brooks to a season-ending torn ACL. Cedric Baxter will get his opportunity to prove himself as the main back in Steve Sarkisian’s offense. It will be interesting to see how the Bacon-led front seven of the Cyclones will post up against the true freshman.
