Iowa State’s 38-10 win over Southeast Missouri State gave the Cyclones a clean start to the Jimmy Rogers era, but the more interesting story after Week 1 is what that opening weekend said about the rest of the schedule.
The Cyclones didn’t cover the spread, yet they showed they can function as a team and may be good enough to hang with solid opponents. From there, though, the real wrinkle is that a schedule is only as dangerous as the teams on it - and several of Iowa State’s future opponents sent mixed signals in their first games.
A handful of teams may be easier to handle than expected. Oklahoma State was one of the loudest disappointments of the weekend, spending big in the transfer portal only to lose badly to Tulsa.
Bowling Green also cratered, falling to Tarleton State, an FCS program. West Virginia looked shaky in a one-touchdown home win over Coastal Carolina, and Baylor nearly lost by a yard to Auburn while looking rough by the eye test.
All four could end up being stronger opportunities for Iowa State than preseason projections suggested.
Not every opponent came out of Week 1 looking worse, though. Utah handled Idaho the way it was supposed to.
BYU took care of Utah Tech without much trouble. Arizona’s 28-point win over Northern Arizona wasn’t dazzling, but it wasn’t enough to suddenly make the Cyclones feel better or worse about that matchup.
Those three teams looked fine, but they still appear to be about where they were expected to be before the season, and they also look like likely losses either way.
Then there are the teams that may have raised the bar. Iowa beat Northern Illinois 40-0, with a dominant first half that put the game away early.
Kansas State and UCF both rolled over weaker opponents and put up 70-plus points in blowouts. Cincinnati also made a strong early statement, beating Boston College 34-15.
Those performances suggest those matchups may be tougher than they looked coming into the season.
In Other News...
Iowa State Needs To Know These Hawkeyes Before Kinnick Turns Hostile
The Cy-Hawk buildup always comes with a little extra edge, and this one is no different as Iowa State heads into Kinnick for a nationally televised kickoff at 6:30 p.m. The matchup brings plenty of familiar names into focus, from Iowa quarterbacks Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski to playmakers like running back Kamari Moulton, tight end DJ Vonnahme, defensive tackle Bryce Hawthorne and safety Zach Lutmer, all of whom could shape how hostile the environment feels for the visitors.
For Iowa State, the intrigue goes beyond just the rivalry backdrop. Head coach Jimmy Rogers brings his own coaching history into a game that has stayed tight in recent seasons, and the Cyclones know the Hawkeyes are built to make every possession feel heavier than it should. The next wrinkle is the one Iowa has not fully sorted out yet, and it could matter a lot once the crowd settles in and the first real pressure hits. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State May Have Found A New Threat In Its Receiver Battle
Iowa States opener against Southeast Missouri State offered the kind of first impression a new staff hopes for, with Jimmy Rogers picking up a win in his debut and the Cyclones rolling to a 38-10 finish. Jaylen Raynor set the tone with four touchdown passes, Isaac Terrell piled up three sacks, and the game quickly turned into a showcase for a team that looked sharp in several phases right out of the gate.
Amid all that, Dominic Overby made himself impossible to ignore in the receiver mix. He was not listed as a starter on Iowa States first official depth chart, but he finished with two catches for 85 yards and both receptions came on explosive plays of 40-plus yards. For a depth chart battle that was supposed to sort itself out over time, Overby gave the Cyclones a new name to watch very early. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Has A Real Opening In The Cy-Hawk Fight For The Trophy
The Cy-Hawk game has a familiar feel to it again: plenty of noise, plenty of history, and not much separating Iowa and Iowa State as they head into a rivalry that rarely gives either side much breathing room. Iowas quarterback situation remains unsettled, which adds another layer to a matchup that already tends to turn on small edges, while the battle up front figures to be a major factor in whether the Cyclones can control the pace and keep the trophy chase on their terms.
Jaylen Raynors first outing in a Cyclone uniform gave Iowa State a glimpse of what the passing game can look like when he is comfortable, and that makes the stakes in this one even more interesting for a team looking to build on that start. Still, the setting matters too, because Kinnick Stadium has not exactly been a welcoming place for the Cyclones in this series, and the recent run of tight finishes suggests this one could come down to the same kind of late-game edge that has defined so many of these meetings. [Read more 🡒]