No. 7 Cyclones open season of high expectations against UNI

By The Associated Press

No. 7 Iowa State goes into its opener against Northern Iowa with its highest preseason ranking and riding a wave of momentum after reaching the Big 12 championship game for the first time and winning the Fiesta Bowl. Cyclones running back Breece Hall will be a player to watch. He ran for at least 100 yards in nine games last season and is a front-runner for the Doak Walker Award. He’ll be going against one of the best rushing defenses in the FCS last spring. The Panthers beat the Cyclones in 2016 and lost in triple overtime in 2019.