Jimmy Rogers and his staff are still working to catch up on the recruiting front, and this weekend gives Iowa State another chance to make an impression.
One of the visitors on the Cyclones’ radar is three-star defensive lineman Hunter Mosolino, who will be in Iowa City for the Cy-Hawk Rivalry Game as Iowa hosts Iowa State in Week 2. The Prairie Ridge High School product already took a recent visit to Iowa State, and now he’ll get a look at the Hawkeyes in a setting that should give the Cyclones a clean comparison point.
Mosolino is listed at 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds and checks in as a top-500 prospect nationally. He is ranked No. 419 overall in the Class of 2028 with an 88 composite, sits at No. 43 at his position, and is a top-20 player in Illinois. So far, Iowa State and Iowa are two of the six programs to offer him, and every school in the mix is from the Power Four: Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin and Northwestern are also on the list.
Iowa State’s recruiting board this cycle already has some traction, especially in the Class of 2027. The Cyclones currently hold 24 hard commits and are ranked No. 43 nationally, according to 247Sports. That group is led by running back Isaiah Hansen and offensive lineman Will Slagle.
The 2028 class is still without a commitment, but Rogers is making the rounds there too. Another target headed to Iowa this weekend is quarterback Chase Grove, a North Central product from Indianapolis who is viewed as one of the better players in Indiana.
Grove is not yet ranked by 247Sports, but his offer sheet already tells the story. He has 12 offers, including seven from Power Four schools and one from Notre Dame.
With recruits like Mosolino and Grove in the building, Iowa State has more than just a rivalry game to think about. The Cyclones will be trying to handle Kinnick Stadium, while also hoping their presence in the area leaves a mark on a pair of prospects they’ve already identified.
In Other News...
Jaylen Raynor Faces A Bigger Iowa Test Than Fans Wanted
Jaylen Raynors first game for Iowa State gave a little of everything: two touchdown passes, two more scores on the ground and some encouraging signs with the ball pushed downfield. It also came with the kind of uneven passing day that usually gets noticed quickly in this state, as he finished 8 of 16 for 184 yards against Southeast Missouri State.
The bigger test now is Iowa, where the Cyclones may need their run game to do some heavy lifting if Raynor is going to keep building off that debut. He looked more comfortable off play-action and showed some progress throwing deeper, but a cleaner, more balanced attack figures to matter even more with the Hawkeyes waiting. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Has One Backcourt Challenge Before Big 12 Play Arrives
Iowa State still has the look of a program that should stay in the national conversation next season, even with some significant roster turnover ahead. T.J. Otzelberger has built enough credibility in Ames that the Cyclones are already drawing early top-25 attention, a sign that the foundation remains sturdy as the roster keeps evolving.
The wrinkle is in the backcourt, where the team will have to sort out ball-handling and tempo without one of its key pieces right away. With Killyan Toure recovering from a shoulder procedure and not expected back until January, Iowa State will need returning guards and transfers to steady things while the Big 12 season looms. [Read more 🡒]
Cy-Hawk Always Feels Personal And This Year Brings More Tension
The Cy-Hawk game always carries a little extra weight, but this one arrives with even more edge for Iowa State. The series still tilts toward Iowa, yet the Cyclones have made real headway in recent years and have turned the matchup into something closer to a yearly argument than a regional formality. With both programs familiar with each others personnel, coaching backgrounds and tendencies, there is very little mystery when these teams line up.
What has made the rivalry feel so combustible lately is how often it has come down to the final possessions, final drives and final kicks. Iowa State has been able to stack enough momentum to make the annual meeting feel less like a chase and more like a test of nerve, and that changes the way every snap is viewed in Ames. The tension around this years edition is baked into the history now, with the margin for error shrinking every season and the next chapter still waiting to be written. [Read more 🡒]