AMES - Iowa State is walking straight into another heavyweight quarterback test, and this one might be the toughest yet.
After the Cyclones’ 39-3 loss at then No. 25 Arizona on Saturday night, head coach Jimmy Rogers made it clear the road ahead doesn’t get any softer.
Iowa State has already worked through a brutal stretch that included games at Iowa, against Utah, at BYU and at Arizona - all four teams that have spent time in the AP Top 25 this season. Now the Cyclones return home to host No.
24 Oklahoma State in Jack Trice Stadium.
"Things aren't going to get any easier for us," Rogers said in his postgame press conference. "Whether it's the talent we're going to go against or our health as a football team."
Oklahoma State comes in at 5-2 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play under first-year coach Eric Morris, who brought 17 transfers with him from North Texas after the 2025 season. The Cowboys backed up their ranking with a 57-24 win over Colorado on Saturday night, ripping off 34 unanswered points in the second half.
With one conference loss - a 35-32 defeat at No. 20 Houston in mid-October - they’re still in the Big 12 hunt, but the margin for error is getting thin if they want a trip to Arlington’s AT&T Stadium for the title game.
Saturday’s kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. CT on FS1.
Here are three storylines heading into the matchup in Ames.
The first is the quarterback run Iowa State has already been forced to survive, and it keeps getting more demanding. The Cyclones have gone from Devon Dampier to Michael Hawkins Jr. to Bear Bachmeier to Noah Fifita, each bringing a different style and a different kind of stress on the defense. Now comes Drew Mestemaker, and the numbers explain why Rogers called him perhaps the best quarterback in the country.
Mestemaker ranks second nationally with 2,326 passing yards, fourth with 20 touchdowns and 23rd in QBR at 78.2. The 6-foot-3 third-year quarterback has also completed 65.7% of his throws, even while averaging 9.7 yards per attempt, which places him eighth nationally.
"We're going to face, probably, arguably, the best quarterback in the country next week," Rogers said after the loss to Arizona when speaking about Mestemaker.
In Other News...
Tamin Lipseys Return Just Made Iowa States Biggest Question Even Bigger
Tamin Lipseys first appearance of the season in Iowa States preseason exhibition against Northwestern offered a timely reminder of how much the Cyclones lean on their point guard. He came back with 14 points, seven assists, three rebounds and two steals, and the contrast was immediate after Iowa State had dropped its first exhibition without him before handling the second one convincingly with him in the mix.
Even with that encouraging showing, the bigger issue around Ames remains unresolved because Lipseys eligibility for the season is still under NCAA review. For a team that views his presence as central to its success, the wait leaves Iowa State in a familiar spot for this time of year, with the on-court fit looking obvious and the final roster answer still hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Keeps Making Conference Play Harder Than It Should Be
Iowa State has spent too much of Big 12 play trying to climb out of early holes, and the pattern has made every conference game feel tougher than it needs to be. The offense has had trouble finding any rhythm, and the defense has not been able to steady things often enough against stronger opponents, especially on the back end where the secondary has been tested and beaten more than the staff would like.
The one bright spot on that side of the ball has been the linebackers, who have been a steady presence even as the rest of the unit has wobbled. With a schedule still packed with top-ranked Big 12 teams, the Cyclones do not get many chances to ease into anything, which only raises the pressure to start faster and play cleaner before the next difficult matchup arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Faces A Dangerous Oklahoma State Offense At The Worst Time
Oklahoma States offense has become a familiar kind of problem for defenses around the Big 12, the sort that can stress a game plan in more than one way. A big part of that comes from the North Texas pipeline head coach Eric Morris brought with him, with quarterback Drew Mestemaker and running back Caleb Hawkins stepping into prominent roles and helping drive the Cowboys attack. Mestemaker has piled up yardage through the air and already has 20 touchdown passes this season, giving the unit a clear rhythm that can force opponents to chase the game early.
For Iowa State, the timing makes the matchup even trickier because Oklahoma State is not relying on just one threat to carry the load. Hawkins has been productive as both a runner and receiver, while Justin Bowick gives the passing game another layer and Ethan Wesloski adds to the mix on the defensive side of the roster. The Cyclones are getting a team that can ask different questions on every snap, and that kind of versatility is usually at its most dangerous when a defense is trying to stay balanced and keep up. [Read more 🡒]