WRNL Staff Predicts the 2017 Football Season!

We are almost a week away from playing under the lights at Jack Trice.

Each and every one of you have probably spent more hours reading content (on WRNL of course) than you would like to admit to your boss at work.

You have liked the videos from the coaching staff talking about “The Team out East”, and the massive reaction to ANF vs. #AHF.

While the majority of the banter back and forth between the CyHawk faithful was vicious at times, it reminds us all that we are fortunate to have two quality teams in the state, and the rivalry has added its special spice for the future.

Now, without further ado, our most educated and non-biased contributors predict the upcoming football season.

jwillyISU

What Makes or Breaks a Bowl Berth - the defensive line's (in)ability to stop the run

Overall Record - 5-7

Conference Record - 3-6

Offensive Team MVP - Jacob Park is going All-American over all our asses, breaking every school record in his path

Defensive Team MVP - A healthy Kamari Cotton-Moya paves his way to the NFL draft

Offensive Breakout Star - Dr. Chase Allen is the next Rob Gronkowski

Defensive Breakout Star - Eyioma Uwazurike leads team in sacks

Breakdown of Season - For first time since 1976, ISU averages over 30 PPG, but the defense bends and breaks too much to get Campbell his first bowl

GIF to Culminate the Season -

Levi Stevenson

What Makes or Breaks a Bowl Berth - Jacob Park taking another step forward and becoming a top 3-5 quarterback in the Big 12.

Overall Record - 7-5

Conference Record - 4-5

Offensive Team MVP - David Montgomery. The RB position will start as a two head monster with Warren, but by the end of the season Montgomery will be the bell cow and eclipse 1,200 yards rushing.

Defensive Team MVP - Joel Lanning. If anyone can make the switch from QB to all conference linebacker one offseason, it's Joel Lanning.

Offensive Breakout Star - Chase Allen is the sexy pick here, but I'm going to go with Hakeem Butler. He's ridiculously tall and extremely talented.

Defensive Breakout Star - Keontae Jones. By the end of the season, Deshaunte's little brother will play his way into a starting role, and the conversation for Defensive Newcomer of the Year.

Breakdown of Season - The offense is forced to win a couple shootouts to begin the season with a defense that's getting up to speed, but conference wins against Kansas, Texas Tech, Texas, and Baylor send the Cyclones to a pretty respectable bowl game. I'm drinking all the Cyclone football Kool-Aid.

GIF to Culminate the Season -

Smddee

What Makes or Breaks a Bowl Berth - If Jacob Park starts (and finishes) every game this season.

Overall Record - 5-7

Conference Record - 3-6

Offensive Team MVP - Allen Lazard

Defensive Team MVP - D'Andre Payne (more like Deandre Kane amiright?)

Offensive Breakout Star - 6'6" Hakeem Butler catches 4 TDs and shreds smaller Defensive Backs.

Defensive Breakout Star - Ray Lima. The DT wrecks havoc on opposing centers and leads the team in Tackles for Loss.

Breakdown of Season - Look for consistency as Iowa State stays competitive in all games, and beats the teams they should.

GIF to Culminate the Season -

Kevin Fitzpatrick

What Makes or Breaks a Bowl Berth - The performance of the O-line. We finally have the pieces at the skill positions - now just have to pave the way for them to make plays.

Overall Record - 6-6 (I was on the record for 5-7 at one point, but I'm publicly changing my prediction)

Conference Record - 3-6

Offensive Team MVP - David Montgomery establishes himself as one of the premier running backs in the Big 12.

Defensive Team MVP - I'm tempted to say the secondary as a whole, but I'll pick Brian Peavy and his ability to lock down on the outside.

Offensive Breakout Star - Chase Allen. Having a TE security blanket that doesn't have stone hands is going to leave a bigger impact on the offense than most would expect.

Defensive Breakout Star - Reggie Wilkerson will provide more stability to the safety position alongside Kamari Cotton-Moya.

Breakdown of Season - A 3-0 start gets fans excited and the 'Clones pick up two more wins over Kansas and Texas Tech to begin the season 5-2. However, ISU loses four straight after their hot start and a bowl berth comes down to the final game against K-State in Manhattan. Thanks to a last-second Garrett Owens field goal, Matt Campbell goes bowling for the first time at Iowa State.

GIF to Culminate the Season -

Ian Rewoldt

What Makes or Breaks a Bowl Berth - The ability of the defense to get stops. Fully confident the offense will score it's fair share of points, but if the defense can't prevent opposing scores, the Cyclones end up in the same exact position.

Overall Record - 5-7

Conference Record - 3-6

Offensive Team MVP - Jacob Park becomes a very good Big 12 quarterback and puts up big stats while trying to carry the defense to victories.

Defensive Team MVP - DeAndre Payne plays really well on his side of the field.

Offensive Breakout Star - Jacob Park. People stay sleeping on this man.

Defensive Breakout Star - Evrett Edwards flies all over the field from the star position.

Breakdown of Season - The Cyclones get non-conference wins and snag a couple in the Big 12, but lose 5 of 6 to end the year on a sour note. The offense is on par with the rest of the Big 12, but the defense just cannot hold up when it matters most.

GIF to Culminate the Season -

CloneTeach

What Makes or Breaks a Bowl Berth - Attitude and Effort

Overall Record - 12-0

Conference Record - 9-0

Offensive Team MVP - Jake Campos. Campbell uses the "tackle eligible" play early and often en route to Campos setting the single season touchdown receptions record.

Defensive Team MVP - #7. It appears both Willie Harvey and Joel Lanning are going to wear the same number. It is really quite brilliant as #7 should be able to cover twice as much space and rack up an insane amount of tackles.

Offensive Breakout Star - Sean Foster. That's Australian for bowl game.

Defensive Breakout Star - Kamilo Tongamoa, Moana's second cousin, and a mystical creature from the same family as Ivan Chiriaev and Norvel Pelle will show up out of nowhere to anchor a defense that leads the nation in sacks. *You're welcome*

Breakdown of Season - Iowa State runs the table in the regular season, but is not allowed to participate in the Big 12 Championship game. The conference sends Jamie Pollard an apology letter citing "a minor bookkeeping" error, pitting Oklahoma (11-1) against Texas (3-9) in the game. The t-shirts were already ordered so the conference keeps the match-up and sends Iowa State to the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl

GIF to Culminate the Season -

GrappleCy

What Makes or Breaks a Bowl Berth - The offensive line being good enough that defenses can't just drop 8 men in to coverage every down

Overall Record - 6-6

Conference Record - 3-6

Offensive Team MVP - Jake Campos puts together the best OT season since Keleche Osemele graduated and paves the way for a bowl.

Defensive Team MVP - Joel Lanning averages 1.34 INTs per game and beats his touchdown total from last season.

Offensive Breakout Star - Garrett Owens steps in for the 'stach and never goes wide right.

Defensive Breakout Star - Joel Lanning, see above.

Breakdown of Season - The team starts off strong with an undefeated non-conference record but puts together a lackluster conference season and goes in to the Kansas State game at 5-6. Campbell puts the final stake in Snyder's career with a tight victory to take the team to his first bowl

GIF to Culminate the Season -

Matthias Schwartzkopf

What Makes for Breaks a Bowl Berth - Jacob Park Heisman Candidacy

Overall Record - 7-5

Conference Record - 4-5

Offensive Team MVP - Jacob Park. Heisman. Crown him.

Defensive Team MVP - Ray Lima. The key to Iowa State's defense starts on the line. He will be more than we expected.

Offensive Breakout Star - Deshaunte Jones, will blow the top off defenses all season.

Defensive Breakout Star - Joel Lanning, will acclimate to LB fast and be one of the leading tacklers

Breakdown of Season - Iowa State will be in a lot of games this year. Depth is better than it was a year ago when it plagued them late in games. I think Iowa State will be one of the break out teams in all of college football. Not only has more talent surfaced in Ames, the team is focused and working as one unit.

GIF to Culminate the Season -