Iowa State football: Big 12 announces Cyclones’ 2015 schedule
By Brian Spaen
The Big 12 has announced the 2015 Iowa State football schedule, and the first half of the slate is a lot more manageable than it was this year.
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Here’s the full schedule for the Cyclones next season. All games are currently scheduled for Saturday.
- Sep 5th: vs Northern Iowa
- Sep 12: vs Iowa
- Sep 19: at Toledo
- Sep 26: BYE
- Oct 3: vs Kansas
- Oct 10: at Texas Tech
- Oct 17: vs TCU
- Oct 24: at Baylor
- Oct 31: vs Texas
- Nov 7: at Oklahoma
- Nov 14: vs Oklahoma State
- Nov 21: at Kansas State
- Nov 28: at West Virginia
Barring any schedule changes like this past season, all three non-conference games will happen in the first three weeks of the season, followed by a bye week, and then nine straight Big 12 games. There were three bye weeks this season, but there will only be one next season. This is in part because Iowa State isn’t starting in August like they did this season and they won’t be playing in the final regular season day on Saturday, December 5th.
Despite having more road games this year, the first half of the schedule is exponentially more favorable in comparison to this season. Two home games against the Iowa opponents, then a road game to Toledo, followed by a week off, and then two of the lesser Big 12 opponents. If Iowa State can get off to a great start, something along the lines of 4-1, then it will be less daunting to get to a bowl game.
Of course, the last seven games are pretty darn tough. The ongoing back-to-back games against Texas and Oklahoma continue (this time with no off-week) and finishing off the season with two road games at Kansas State and West Virginia will be tough. However, it will be nice to get tailgating out of the way before winter hits. There are still two more tailgates in Ames this season, when at this time next year there will be no more tailgates.
Click here for the full Big 12 football schedule. What are your thoughts on next season’s slate for ISU?