The undefeated No. 8 BYU Cougars (4-0, 2-0 Big 12) welcome conference opponent Iowa State Cyclones (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) to LaVell Edwards Stadium for a Friday night Big 12 matchup with a 10:15 p.m. ET kickoff. This is the second consecutive season these two teams will meet, and BYU got the best of Iowa State in 2025 with a 41-27 win.
The Cougars have been a dominant force under head coach Kalani Sitake since joining the Big 12 ahead of the 2023 season, finishing No. 13 in the AP Poll with an 11-2 record in 2024 and then No. 11 with a 12-2 record in 2025. With all that success and being ranked inside the top 10 during each of those two previous seasons, BYU enters Friday as the No. 8 team in the country with its sights set on reaching the College Football Playoff at the end of the year.
Sitake has his team rolling to start the 2026 season, averaging 37.3 points per game while the defense is allowing just 14.3 points per game. The Cougars’ most recent game was a 17-10 victory against TCU last Saturday in which the offense struggled, particularly quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who completed 11 of 24 passes for only 62 yards but did find the end zone twice with his legs.
Making matters worse for BYU’s offense, leading rusher LJ Martin is expected to miss four to six weeks after suffering an injury against TCU last Saturday. Martin has rushed for 344 yards and three touchdowns this season while averaging an impressive 7.8 yards per carry, making his absence a significant loss for the Cougars’ offense.
The offense must perform at a much higher level Friday night to keep pace with an Iowa State team that just scored 45 points last week, but it’s also important for BYU not to overlook the Cyclones with a home matchup against No. 3 Notre Dame looming next week.
As just mentioned, Iowa State is coming off a 45-42 win against what’s proving to be a solid West Virginia team, but it’s been a bit of an up-and-down season so far in Jimmy Rogers’ first year as head coach, featuring a roster with a ton of new players.
While a 3-2 record is by no means bad, the big question is whether the Cyclones can compete against a higher level of competition. Iowa State’s two losses this season came against ranked opponents: a 16-13 loss to Iowa in the Cy-Hawk Game and a 31-17 home loss to Utah two weeks ago. The offense particularly struggled at times in those matchups and is now set to face a top-10 team in the country that features a very good defense this season.
Keep scrolling for Iowa State vs. BYU predictions, picks, and odds for Friday night’s Big 12 showdown in Provo.
Iowa State vs. BYU Odds
Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook lists BYU as a sizable home favorite for Friday night’s Big 12 college football matchup:
Iowa State vs. BYU Predictions
Head over to Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook to check out the available football betting markets for the game, including our Iowa State vs. BYU prediction below:
BYU vs. Iowa State Best Bet: Over 46.5 Points (-110)
Both defenses have played fairly well this season, which might make you wonder why we’re taking the Over in Friday night’s game. That’s because both offenses are more than capable of putting up yards and points as well.
Yes, this can be skewed due to the level of competition faced by prior opponents, but Iowa State is averaging 33.6 points and 391.6 total yards of offense per game, while BYU is averaging 37.3 points and 415.3 total yards per game. Obviously, it’s not as simple as this, but add those two points-per-game averages together, and you get 70.9 between the two teams.
The key will be whether BYU can bounce back from a lackluster offensive performance last week against TCU and whether Iowa State can build off its 45-point performance against West Virginia while also playing up to the competition after averaging just 15 points per game against ranked opponents this year.
- BYU vs. Iowa State Total Pick for Oct. 9: Over 46.5 Points (-110)
Iowa State vs. BYU Betting Splits
Here’s how the action is trending at Hard Rock Bet as kickoff approaches:
- BYU is getting overwhelming moneyline support, with 95.6% of wagers and 97.3% of the handle.
- It’s not quite as lopsided, but the Cougars are also attracting 64.6% of wagers and 52.3% of the handle on the spread.
- The Over is the preferred play on the total, accounting for 82.1% of wagers and 64% of the handle.
Iowa State vs. BYU Game Info
- đź“Ť Where: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT
- đź“… Date: Friday, Oct. 9
- ⏰ Kickoff: 10:15 PM ET
- đź“şđź’» TV/Streaming: ESPN
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Referenced odds are subject to change.
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