Iowa State doesn’t go into the Cy-Hawk game pretending it has to win every phase to stay in the fight. It just needs to find the cracks, and there are a few that stand out.
The Cyclones opened the season with a 38-10 win over Southeast Missouri State, a clean start that gave head coach Jimmy Rogers a victory in his debut. That result got Iowa State to 1-0, but the next test is a different animal entirely: a trip to Iowa City in Week 2 to meet Iowa in the Cy-Hawk rivalry.
The Hawkeyes are coming off a 40-0 win over Northern Illinois and enter as sizable favorites, with plenty of people expecting Iowa State to have a tough time in its first road game of the season. Still, the matchup does offer the Cyclones a path to make things interesting, starting with their pass defense against Iowa’s passing game.
Iowa is still sorting out its quarterback situation after using three different signal callers last week. Jimmy Sullivan is clearly the No. 3 option, while Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski are battling for the starting job. Brown was more efficient than Hecklinski in the opener, but defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit said the concern is less about who lines up under center and more about the way Iowa plans to attack.
That plays into Iowa State’s strength. The Cyclones brought real heat in Week 1, piling up six sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
Isaac Terrell was right in the middle of it, finishing with three sacks and three tackles for loss. In the secondary, Beni Ngoyi added a highlight-reel interception, and Iowa State limited Southeast Missouri State to 4.9 yards per pass attempt once you remove the one 40-yard strike the Redhawks hit.
The numbers back up the idea that this unit can make life difficult. Per Pro Football Focus, Iowa State posted a 75.8 pass-rush grade and an 83.1 coverage grade. Iowa, meanwhile, earned a 46.1 passing grade against Northern Illinois, along with a 66.9 pass-blocking grade and a 59.6 receiving grade.
That kind of edge matters even more for a roster with so many new faces. Iowa State may not be the more talented team in a lot of weeks, so it has to win the small battles. Special teams is one of those places, and the Cyclones have an answer there too.
The opener wasn’t spotless. Aiden Flora muffed a punt, and Iowa State also allowed an onside kick to be recovered before an infraction wiped it away.
But the Cyclones still have Kyle Konrardy, and that changes things. He has already become a nightmare for Iowa fans, drilling a game-winning field goal in the Cy-Hawk game in each of the last two years.
He was also strong on kickoffs, producing seven touchbacks.
Flora and Cameron Pettaway give Iowa State options in the return game, while Iowa kicker Eli Ozick had four touchbacks on nine attempts. That could open the door for the Cyclones to create better field position and help their offense find a few scoring chances.
In Other News...
Jaylen Raynor Faces A Bigger Iowa Test Than Fans Wanted
Jaylen Raynors first outing for Iowa State gave the Cyclones a little bit of everything, and not always in equal measure. The quarterback accounted for four touchdowns against Southeast Missouri State, but he also completed only 8 of 16 passes, a reminder that the passing game was still finding its rhythm even as he flashed more comfort on play-action and showed better touch throwing downfield.
That matters because the next step is a far tougher one for Iowa State, and one that Iowa fans will be watching closely. If Raynor is going to have the kind of afternoon that keeps the Cyclones on track, the ground game may need to do a lot of the heavy lifting first, setting up the looks that helped him settle in last week and giving him a chance to make plays without having to carry everything himself. [Read more 🡒]
Former Hawkeye Caden Crawford Has Everything To Prove For Iowa State
Caden Crawfords path back into an Iowa week is a winding one, and it comes with no shortage of familiarity. The former Hawkeye defensive lineman never found much footing in Iowa City before moving on to South Dakota at the FCS level, where his play finally started to match the promise that had followed him out of high school. That rebound earned him another Power Four shot, this time at Iowa State, where he has worked his way into a starting role at defensive end.
For Crawford, the meeting with Iowa adds a little extra edge to an already meaningful season. He had a modest showing in Week 1, but the Cyclones are counting on him to be part of the push up front when the Hawkeyes come to town. It is the kind of matchup that can turn a transfers second chance into a statement, even if the full answer to how far he can carry it this fall is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Cy-Hawk Weekend Gives Iowa A Big Chance With Rival Targets
Iowa State has been trying to steady its recruiting board after the turbulence that followed Matt Campbells departure, and Jimmy Rogers staff has spent plenty of time rebuilding both the current class and the long-range pipeline. The 2027 group already sits at No. 43 nationally with 24 commitments, a list that includes notable names such as Isaiah Hansen and Will Slagle, but the Cyclones know the deeper fight is still ahead as they try to hold serve with younger targets.
Cy-Hawk weekend has added another layer to that battle, because several 2028 prospects Iowa State has hosted are now taking in rival Iowa as well. Defensive lineman Hunter Mosolino and quarterback Chase Grove are among the visitors who could end up hearing both pitches in a rivalry setting, which makes this stretch on the calendar especially important for the Cyclones. For a staff trying to rebuild momentum, these are the kinds of weekends that can shape where the next round of recruiting traction really goes. [Read more 🡒]