By: George Ahearn

The term “gritty” is thrown around at an alarming rate in the new era of sports media. Players and teams who don’t deserve that rare designation receive it far too often, leading to misguided perceptions of who is truly gritty. In my mind, there are three conditions that can deem a team gritty. First, they must be led by someone who harvests grit. Secondly, they need to be able to go toe-to-toe with any opponent on any given stage. Thirdly, they have to consistently hover around .500. 

To create a culture of grit, you need to be led by grit. Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell is what grit wishes it was. Campbell’s first gig as a head coach came at Toledo, a member of the MAC conference. For those unfamiliar with the MAC, it is the epitome of grit. Games played on Tuesday and Wednesday nights between teams scattered throughout the grittiest part of our nation – the Midwest – has contributed to the ironic label of  “MACtion” by avid college football fans. Campbell has brought the culture he curated at Toledo to Iowa State, and inevitably he has the Cyclones competing year in and year out. 

Throughout the season, Iowa State has played some of the closest, yet mind-numbing games imaginable. This year, they were participants in three (!) of the nation’s grittiest games. They pulled out a 10-7 win over in-state rival Iowa. They suffered unspeakable pain in a 10-9 loss to Kansas State, who sat as high as no. 13 in this year’s college football playoff rankings. The week prior, they endured a 14-11 loss to Kansas, who is already bowl eligible despite losing breakout quarterback Jalon Daniels after week 5. They competed with arguably the most complete team in the Big 12, taking Texas down to the wire in Austin. Now, they’re favored on the road against 6-3 Oklahoma State despite holding a 4-5 record. This team has the capacity to beat any team in the Big 12, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them spoil TCU’s season in Fort Worth come the last week of the season. 

Finally, the Cyclones exemplify their grit through a 4-5 record. To be gritty, you cannot be good, as then you are simply considered a good team. Teams who are gritty use their grit to overcome their countless mistakes. Tied nationally for the 11^th most field goal attempts per game at 2.1, this team specializes in red zone inefficiency, a consistent characteristic of gritty teams. They will rarely impress but they will always intrigue, and that might be why they have found themselves in the “Cheez-It Bowl” two years in a row. 

Never count this team out, and let’s all hope Matt Campbell stays in Ames, IA for the rest of his career so that we can be continually blessed by their gritty mediocrity.