Teams:
- Arizona
- Arizona State
- Baylor
- BYU
- Cincinnati
- Colorado
- Houston
- Iowa State – At bat
- Kansas – On deck
- Kansas State – In the hole
- Oklahoma State
- TCU
- Texas Tech
- UCF
- Utah
- West Virginia
Portal Team Rankings:
- On3: Big 12 16th | National 68th
- 24/7 Sports: Big 12 16th | National 67th
- The Athletic: D
Via AI:
- Jaheim Singletary (CB, Arkansas/Georgia): A former elite five-star recruit with high-end length and boundary coverage traits who projects as an immediate impact lockdown corner.
- Seth Johnson (CB, Montana State): Brings a winning FCS national championship pedigree and high football IQ to the secondary rotation.
- Max Baloun & Donovan Fitzmaurice (DL, Washington State): Plugged in to bolster the defensive line depth under Rogers.
- Jaylen Raynor (QB, Arkansas State): Arrives in Ames as a major favorite to command and run the Cyclone offense.
- Cameron Pettaway (RB, Bowling Green): The former MAC Freshman of the Year brings explosive running capabilities to the backfield.
- Omari Hayes (WR, Tulane) & Carter Pabst (TE, Washington State): Expected to anchor primary roles in the passing game
- Jake Taylor (OT, Oklahoma) & Maasai King (OT, Akron): Projected foundational pieces brought in to stabilize and compete at the offensive tackle spots.
- Gavin Broscious (IOL, Michigan State): Part of a heavy influx of portal trench depth meant to immediately upgrade the line.
Via The Athletic:
Top players added: WR Cody Jackson (Tarleton State), OT Maasai King (Akron), edge Isaac Terrell (Washington State), LB Sullivan Schlimgen (Washington State), S Braden Awls (Toledo)
How do you go about replacing 15 starters and 11 other rotation players? New coach Jimmy Rogers brought in nine starters from the FCS level and 33 players from other FBS schools, including eight who started at least six games last season. Fourteen of the newcomers followed Rogers from Washington State. No pickup is more experienced than quarterback Jaylen Raynor, who threw for 8,694 yards with 52 touchdowns and 28 interceptions in three seasons at Arkansas State. Tight end Tyler Fortenberry (32 catches, 294 yards in 2025) started 11 games alongside Raynor at A-State. There’s no doubt that Rogers and Iowa State face an uphill battle in maintaining the standard Matt Campbell set.
Matt Campbell’s 10-year tenure at Iowa State was transformative, with 72 wins and the Cyclones’ first two AP top-15 finishes ever. Now we’ll see if his departure is just as transformative. Over the past decade, ISU’s attendance and investment levels have soared, and it sure seems that the infrastructure has grown quite sound. But until someone else captains this ship well, we don’t know anyone else can.
Campbell left for Penn State, and 55 transfers took off as well, about half of them for PSU. No offensive returnee had more than 87 yards from scrimmage (or any passing yards) or took more than 48 snaps on the offensive line. On defense, 23 players saw at least 100 snaps last season, and five return. None had even 250 snaps.
There’s more at the link.
Team Recruiting Rankings:
- On3: Big 12 6th | National 37th
- 24/7 Sports: Big 12 5th | National 38th
Via AI:
- Caleb Francois: Running back from Minnetonka, Minnesota, rated as one of the class’s top offensive weapons with a 4-star/high 3-star grade.
- Jeffrey Roberts: Wide receiver out of Ames, Iowa (Dowling Catholic/Ames local), highly touted locally and rated with an 89 overall mark.
- JAjibola Afuye: Edge rusher from Stillwater, Minnesota, standing 6-4 and 230 pounds.
- Daniel Howard: Defensive lineman from Chicago, Illinois, bringing imposing size at 6-2 and 270 pounds.
- Tayten Duncan: Safety from Mustang, Oklahoma, noted as a dynamic defensive backfield addition.
Big 12 Power Rankings
- ESPN’s Bill Connelly: 14th in the Big 12
- CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah: 16th in the Big 12
- The Big Lead: 16th in the Big 12
- Desert News’ Brandon Judd: 16th in the Big 12
AI Projection: What is the outlook for Iowa State Cyclones football for 2026?
The Iowa State Cyclones enter the 2026 season facing a massive roster and coaching transition under new head coach Jimmy Rogers, with expectations centered around fighting for bowl eligibility amidst extreme turnover.
Roster and Coaching Changes
New Leadership: Jimmy Rogers takes over as head coach, bringing a fresh culture to Ames.
Roster Turnover: The team features 55 new players, leaving very little returning experience from prior squads.
Key Additions: Includes new quarterback Jaylen Rainor, running back Cam Pedway, and veteran defensive addition Micah Harper.
Schedule Highlights
Opener: Kicks off the season at home against Southeast Missouri State on September 5, 2026.
Cy-Hawk Rivalry: Travels to face the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium on September 12, 2026.
Big 12 Slate: Features home matchups against Utah and West Virginia early on, alongside conference trips to BYU and Arizona.
Season Expectations
Wins Projection: Fair expectations range around 5 to 7 wins, with early goals focused on sweeping non-conference play to chase a bowl game.
Outlook: Team chemistry remains a primary question mark given the heavy influx of new personnel, making a competitive mid-tier Big 12 finish a success.