CapperTek

Moneyline

Total

Point Spread

Away/Home

Wins

Ov / Un

Wildcats

Cyclones

Away/Home Defense

Away/Home Offense

Defense

Offense

Kansas State Wildcats vs Iowa State Cyclones Picks

Aviva Stadium

<p>We have made it! The NCAA Football season is finally here, with Week 0 kicking things off this Saturday. We&#8217;ve got a huge top 25 matchup between two Big 12 foes over in Ireland, as the No. 22 Iowa State Cyclones take on the No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats. While we only have a few other games on the college football slate, we broke down the ins and outs of this matchup and found our favorite picks and predictions in this contest.</p>
<p>Check out the latest odds at the <a href="/best-online-sportsbooks/">best online sportsbooks.</a> Plus, it&#8217;s not too late to add more futures to your portfolio so take some time to check out our Power Four Conference Previews below.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/articles/ncaaf/2025-sec-football-preview-picks-predictions/">SEC Football Preview</a></li>
<li><a href="/articles/ncaaf/2025-big-ten-football-preview-picks-predictions/">Big Ten Football Preview</a></li>
<li><a href="/articles/ncaaf/2025-big-12-football-preview-picks-predictions/">Big 12 Football Preview</a></li>
<li><a href="/articles/ncaaf/2025-acc-football-preview-picks-predictions/">ACC Football Preview</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="/ncaaf/matchup/2025-08-23-kansas_state_wildcats-iowa_state_cyclones-n-1/">Iowa State Cyclones vs. Kansas State Wildcats: NCAA Football Insights</a></h2>
<div id="attachment_81121" style="width: 1210px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-81121" class="size-full wp-image-81121" src="https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jayce-Brown.jpg" alt="Jayce Brown is back out wide for the Wildcats this season - Iowa State Kansas State Picks" width="1200" height="619" srcset="https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jayce-Brown.jpg 1200w, https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jayce-Brown-300x155.jpg 300w, https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jayce-Brown-1024x528.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><p id="caption-attachment-81121" class="wp-caption-text">Jayce Brown is back out wide for the Wildcats this season</p></div>
<h3>Matchup Information &#8211; Iowa State vs. Kansas State &#8211; August 23</h3>
<ul>
<li>Venue &amp; Location: Aviva Stadium (Dublin, Ireland)</li>
<li>Date: Saturday, August 23, 2025</li>
<li>Kick Off: 12:00 p.m. Eastern</li>
<li>Broadcast: ESPN</li>
</ul>
<h3>Iowa State vs. Kansas State Betting Odds</h3>
<p><em><a href="/best-online-sportsbooks/betonline/">Odds are courtesy of BetOnline</a>, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of August 19, 2025 at 12:21 p.m. eastern. Sign up today with <a href="https://affiliates.bettingnews.com/register/betonline/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Promo Code FREE250 for a 50% deposit bonus up to $250</a> as well as 100 Free Spins at the online casino.</em></p>
<h4>Spread</h4>
<ul>
<li>Iowa State +3 (-108)</li>
<li>Kansas State -3 (-112)</li>
</ul>
<h4>Moneyline</h4>
<ul>
<li>Iowa State +140</li>
<li>Kansas State -160</li>
</ul>
<h4>Total</h4>
<ul>
<li>Over 49.5 (-110)</li>
<li>Under 49.5 (-110)</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_54741" style="width: 1210px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-54741" class="size-full wp-image-54741" src="https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Campbell-1.jpg" alt="Can Matt Campbell lead the Cyclones to a victory over the Wildcats this weekend? Iowa State Kansas State Picks" width="1200" height="1200" srcset="https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Campbell-1.jpg 1200w, https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Campbell-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Campbell-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Campbell-1-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><p id="caption-attachment-54741" class="wp-caption-text">Can Matt Campbell lead the Cyclones to a victory over the Wildcats this weekend?</p></div>
<p>You don&#8217;t always get an exciting matchup in Week 0, let alone an international game involving two ranked teams. Quite the treat the NCAA has given us with Farmageddon being played in the land of potatoes.</p>
<p>With this game being over in Ireland, you&#8217;ve got to look at the weather. Now, I am a firm believer that the impact the weather has on the game is already baked into the betting lines, however, it&#8217;s good to monitor just in case. As of Tuesday afternoon, we&#8217;re not seeing any rain in Dublin until next week, with it being cool and cloudy for kick off on Saturday.</p>
<p>Both Iowa State and Kansas State are planning on being at the top of their wide open Big 12 Conference, and I see no reason why they shouldn&#8217;t be.</p>
<p>There is no clear cut favorite in the Big 12 right now, and the loser of this game will benefit from losing a tough matchup very early in the season. Assuming it is competitive, people will forget about this loss if you excel the rest of your season.</p>
<p>Point being, while both teams want to win this contest, the Big 12 Championship will likely be played between teams with at least two conference losses. Either team could rebound and have a very successful season, regardless of this matchup&#8217;s result.</p>
<p>We&#8217;re set for a very competitive contest to kick off this college football season, so let&#8217;s get into our favorite picks.</p>
<h2><a href="/ncaaf/matchup/2025-08-23-kansas_state_wildcats-iowa_state_cyclones-n-1/">Iowa State vs. Kansas State Picks and Predictions</a></h2>
<h3>Iowa State vs. Kansas State Prediction: Kansas State Wins &amp; Covers, Over 49.5</h3>
<p>You&#8217;re getting the best of both worlds, as <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/bettingnews">my wonderful Up Your Units co-host</a>, Colby Marchio, and I both have picks in this matchup. We&#8217;ll cover a side, the total, and give you a player prop for Farmageddon. Look for more combo pieces from the crew this football season, and check out what we have for Saturday&#8217;s contest.</p>
<div id="attachment_81122" style="width: 1210px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-81122" class="size-full wp-image-81122" src="https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Becht-1.jpg" alt="Rocco Becht and Iowa State start their season in Ireland - Iowa State Kansas State Picks" width="1200" height="675" srcset="https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Becht-1.jpg 1200w, https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Becht-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Becht-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><p id="caption-attachment-81122" class="wp-caption-text">Rocco Becht and Iowa State start their season in Ireland</p></div>
<h3><a href="https://affiliates.bettingnews.com/register/betonline/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Colby&#8217;s Best Bet: ISU/KSU Over 49.5 (-110) BetOnline</a></h3>
<p><strong>Colby Marchio:</strong> They call it &#8220;Farmageddon,&#8221; Kansas State versus Iowa State. This edition of the rivalry is heading overseas to our Guinness-loving friends in Dublin, Ireland. I wish Nate and I were going, but sadly, we will have to enjoy it from our couches with freshly poured cans of Guinness. How embarrassing.</p>
<p class="p1">I digress.</p>
<p class="p1">I like the over in this matchup, not because I want to root for points fresh out of the gate in Week 0, but because every article and piece of content I have seen has barely touched on the defensive side of the ball. That leads me to believe both offenses will be the stars of the show, which I fully anticipate.</p>
<p class="p1">Both teams return their starting quarterbacks. Kansas State still has Avery Johnson running the show, and Iowa State will have Rocco Becht under center. Both quarterbacks should be among the BIG 12’s top stars this season.</p>
<p class="p1">On top of that, both offenses return their standout running backs. The Cyclones will feature the tag team of Carsen Hensen and Abu Sama. Hensen took over for Sama midseason last year and finished with over 750 yards on the ground. Both backs combined for more than 1,200 total rushing yards. Kansas State still has standout running back Dylan Edwards and will be looking for Joe Jackson to step up in the backfield as well.</p>
<p class="p1">The receiving corps remains strong, and with another year of Johnson at quarterback, the Wildcats should make a significant leap forward. Sophomore Jayce Brown looks poised to lead the way this season. In 2024, Brown emerged as a top target as the number two receiver, and he is poised for an explosive season.</p>
<p class="p1">The Cyclones did lose star receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to the draft, but they have a deep tight end room led by Gabe Burkle and Benjamin Brahmer, who are expected to make a significant impact in the passing game. They also added former UCF receiver Xavier Townsend and Chase Sowell from East Carolina. These additions should help sustain the passing game, though it will not be as explosive as last season.</p>
<p class="p1">Both defenses have many question marks. Phil Steele projects each to allow an average of 24.4 points per game. He sees Kansas State potentially giving up 350 yards and 25 points per game due to concerns in the secondary. Iowa State has a strong linebacker corps but is still projected to allow 24.4 points per game.</p>
<p class="p1">I have immense respect for both quarterbacks and would rather back them than the defenses in game one. I also plan to be patient with this total, as the game will be played in wet, soggy Dublin. Still, I really want 49.5 on my card.</p>
<div id="attachment_56362" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-56362" class="size-full wp-image-56362" src="https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/avery-johnson-kansas-state-football-2024-1.jpg" alt="Avery Johnson will use his legs this Saturday to lead the Wildcats to victory - Iowa State Kansas State Picks" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/avery-johnson-kansas-state-football-2024-1.jpg 1024w, https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/avery-johnson-kansas-state-football-2024-1-300x169.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-56362" class="wp-caption-text">Avery Johnson will use his legs this Saturday to lead the Wildcats to victory</p></div>
<h3><a href="https://affiliates.bettingnews.com/register/betonline/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate&#8217;s Best Bet: Kansas State ML (-160) BetOnline</a></h3>
<p><strong>Nate Hornung:</strong> Look, it&#8217;s juicy, and the (-142) that I snagged doesn&#8217;t exist anymore. I&#8217;d be comfortable laying the -3 if you so choose, regardless I&#8217;m big on Kansas State this season. They are my pick to win the Big 12 conference, and that starts with a win in Ireland over Iowa State on Saturday.</p>
<p>Rocco Becht and company looked horrendous in the Big 12 Championship last season, and now they have to replace leading wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, who accounted for 60.2% of the team&#8217;s receptions, 66.4% of their receiving yards, and 68% of their receiving touchdowns. Replacing all of that production is not easy, and I just don&#8217;t think they&#8217;ll have it all figured out for arguably their toughest conference matchup in Week 0.</p>
<p>I also have a lot of faith in Wildcats&#8217; QB Avery Johnson this season, <strong>which is why I am on his over 45.5 rushing yards at (-115).</strong> If you want, <strong>pair the K-State ML with Johnson to get 40+ yards,</strong> it should be plus money. This guy is going to run all over the Cyclones.</p>
<p>Kansas State&#8217;s offensive line returns three starters, including four super seniors and a redshirt junior. There&#8217;s plenty of veteran experience and leadership in the trenches. Last year, the Cats ranked No. 72 in rush attempts per game, but were No. 12 in rushing yards per game (210), and No. 2 in the nation in yards per carry (5.9). That&#8217;s some phenomenal efficiency from the ground game.</p>
<p>Avery Johnson had 13 carries for 64 yards against the Cyclones last year, including a 21 yard rush and just one sack. Kansas State&#8217;s O-Line also ranked No. 13 in sacks allowed, giving up just 1.1 per game last season.</p>
<p>Now, the Cyclones return 9/11 defensive starters, which isn&#8217;t a problem, except for the fact that THEY SUCKED. Specifically their rushing defense.</p>
<p>Iowa State gave up 189 rushing yards per game last year, ballooning to 201 away from home. This ranked No. 105 in the country, only consisting of 134 teams. They also ranked No. 125 in yards allowed per carry, giving up 5.5 yards per rush, ranking in the bottom 10 teams of D-1 football.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m not done quite yet.</p>
<p>You might be worried about sacks, since that yardage counts against a quarterback&#8217;s rushing yards. However, the Cyclones were bottom five, ranking No. 130 in sack percentage last year, getting to the opposing QB less than once per game.</p>
<p>We know Avery Johnson can run, and we are all excited to see him throw a bit more this season. But in this opening game, I expect him to extend some plays with his legs and show us he is still a prolific runner, while he continues to get more comfortable slinging the pill.</p>
<h2>Still Didn&#8217;t Get Your NCAA Football Fix?</h2>
<p>Here at Betting News, we offer <a href="/picks/">Free Expert Picks</a> for every major sports league. We also host daily streams on our <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/bettingnews">Twitch Channel with our best bets</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.playback.tv/bettingnews">sweat out games on Playback! </a>Be sure to tune into everything we have going on at our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@YourBettingNews">Youtube</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@yourbettingnews">TikTok</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/YourBettingNews">X pages as well</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/articles/ncaaf/2025-sec-football-preview-picks-predictions/">SEC Football Preview</a></li>
<li><a href="/articles/ncaaf/2025-big-ten-football-preview-picks-predictions/">Big Ten Football Preview</a></li>
<li><a href="/articles/ncaaf/2025-big-12-football-preview-picks-predictions/">Big 12 Football Preview</a></li>
<li><a href="/articles/ncaaf/2025-acc-football-preview-picks-predictions/">ACC Football Preview</a></li>
<li><a href="/articles/ncaaf/2025-college-football-win-total-picks-tulane-green-wave/">Tulane Win Total Predictions</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="my-3 card card-body d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center" style="background-color: #01337d;">
    <div class="py-3 flex-fill">
        <p class="mb-0 lead text-white text-center text-lg-left font-weight-bold">
            <span style="font-size: 1.15rem;">Get FREE Picks and Props Weekly</span>
            <br><br>
            <span style="font-size: 1rem;">Sign up for</span>
            <br>
            <span style="font-size: 1.15rem;">THE WEEKENDER NEWSLETTER</span>
        </p>
    </div>
    <div>
        <a class="mx-2 btn btn-lg btn-danger stretched-link text-nowrap" role="button" href="/newsletter-subscription/" style="padding: .5rem 2rem;width: 300px;margin: 0;">Get FREE Picks</a>
    </div>
</div>
<h2>Check Out All of Our Betting Resources at Betting News</h2>
<div class="p-rich_text_section">
<div class="su-list mb-5" style="margin-left:0px">
</div>
<ul class="p-rich_text_list p-rich_text_list__bullet" data-stringify-type="unordered-list" data-indent="0" data-border="0">
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0"><a class="c-link" href="/nfl/picks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="/nfl/picks/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Picks &amp; Odds for the NFL</a></li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0"><a class="c-link" href="/nfl-betting-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="/nfl-betting-guide/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">NFL Betting Guide for Beginners</a></li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0"><a class="c-link" href="/ncaaf/picks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="/ncaaf/picks/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Pick &amp; Odds for NCAAF</a></li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0"><a class="c-link" href="/guides/college-football-betting-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="/guides/college-football-betting-guide/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">NCAAF Betting Guide for Beginners</a></li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0"><a class="c-link" href="/mlb/picks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="/mlb/picks/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Picks &amp; Odds in the MLB</a></li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0"><a class="c-link" href="/guides/mlb-betting-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="/guides/mlb-betting-guide/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">MLB Betting Guide for Beginners</a></li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0"><a class="c-link" href="/nba/picks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="/nba/picks/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Picks &amp; Odds in the NBA</a></li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0"><a class="c-link" href="/guides/nba-betting-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="/guides/nba-betting-guide/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">NBA Betting Guide for Beginners</a></li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0"><a class="c-link" href="/nhl/picks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="/nhl/picks/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Picks &amp; Odds in the NHL</a></li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0"><a class="c-link" href="/sports-betting-guides/nhl-betting-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="/guides/nhl-betting-guide/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">NHL Betting Guide for Beginners</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="p-rich_text_section"></div></div>


Avery Johnson looks to lead Kansas State to the Big 12 Championship, starting with a win this Saturday - Iowa State Kansas State Picks

Iowa State vs. Kansas State Picks and Predictions

Kennesaw State vs. Jacksonville State: Conference USA Championship | December 5, 2025

Dan Mullen led the Rebels to 10 wins in his first season as Head Coach - Boise State UNLV Picks

UNLV vs. Boise State Picks and Predictions: Mountain West Championship

Duke quarterback Darian Mensah - No. 19 Virginia vs. Duke Prediction & Best Bets (11/15/2025)

Duke vs. #17 Virginia: ACC Conference Championship | December 6, 2025

Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State are back in the Big Ten Championship this season - Indiana Ohio State Picks

#2 Indiana vs. #1 Ohio State Picks and Predictions: Big Ten Championship

Jon Sumrall was hired as the next head coach of the Florida Gators - Tulane North Texas Picks

Iowa State vs. Kansas State Picks and Predictions

Nate Hornung

More NCAAF News

Kennesaw State vs. Jacksonville State: Conference USA Championship | December 5, 2025

UNLV vs. Boise State Picks and Predictions: Mountain West Championship

Duke vs. #17 Virginia: ACC Conference Championship | December 6, 2025

#2 Indiana vs. #1 Ohio State Picks and Predictions: Big Ten Championship

#24 North Texas vs. #20 Tulane Picks and Predictions: AAC Championship