Utah visits Iowa State on Saturday, September 26, 2026, in a Big 12 matchup at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, IA, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. ET. The Utes are 8-point favorites as they head into their first conference game, while Iowa State opens Big 12 play at home.
It is an early-season test with a lot of context behind it. Utah is 3-0 after outscoring opponents 33-0, and the Utes have been especially efficient on offense while also controlling games with their defense. Iowa State is 2-1, and the Cyclones have put up strong numbers of their own, including 47.3 points per game and 83.3 rushing yards per game.
What Utah brings into the game
The biggest reason Utah has started so well is the play of Dampier. Through three games, he has completed 53 of 74 passes for 690 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. That production has helped him post a 178.5 rating, and it gives Utah a clear identity heading into its first Big 12 road trip of the season.
Utah’s balanced start also includes 75 rushing yards per game, which matters against an Iowa State defense that has already shown it can make games uncomfortable. The Utes have been efficient, and they have avoided the kind of early-season mistakes that can make a road conference game harder than it needs to be.
Iowa State’s early edge at home
Iowa State comes in with a 2-1 record and some strong individual and team performances. The Cyclones are averaging 47.3 points per game and have leaned on the ground game, where they are putting up 83.3 rushing yards per game. The matchup also carries historical weight, since Iowa State ran for 365 yards as a team in a game in 2011, the most in a game since then.
Leonard Johnson is another name tied to the matchup history, after his 319 all-purpose yards against Oklahoma State in 2008. Those numbers do not change the present-day task, but they do show that Iowa State has had memorable performances in games that carried real conference significance.
Why this game matters
This is more than a September trip. Utah is entering its first Big 12 game, and Iowa State is opening league play at home, so both teams will get an immediate read on where they stand in the conference race. The setting in Ames also adds another layer, since a physical matchup in rainy conditions can turn into a field-position game quickly.
On paper, Utah has the cleaner record and the betting edge. On the field, the game should tell a lot about whether the Utes can carry their early momentum into Big 12 play and whether Iowa State can defend its home field in a meaningful opener.
