Iowa State’s January Big 12 run already looks like one of the more demanding stretches on the calendar, and the timing makes it even more interesting. The Cyclones are set to play at Houston on Jan. 13, at Texas Tech on Jan. 16 and then host BYU on Jan.
- That’s three tough conference games packed into eight days, right as league play gets rolling.
What makes that stretch even more complicated is the roster question hanging over it. Killyan Toure is expected to come back from shoulder surgery in January, but there’s no reason to assume he’ll be fully settled in by then.
That puts extra weight on the Tamin Lipsey eligibility situation. If Lipsey gains and keeps eligibility for the season, Iowa State could have an experienced guard available for what may be its hardest run of games.
The Cyclones are also getting ready for one last tune-up before the Big 12 season starts. They host Bowling Green on Saturday in a game listed for 11 a.m. on ESPNU, though Iowa State’s game-day timeline has kickoff at 11:07 a.m.
The schedule around the stadium is set early. Parking lots open at 6 a.m., the spirit rally and Cyclone Walk start at 8 a.m., and the ticket office opens at the same time. Stadium gates open at 9:30 a.m.
Once fans are inside Jack Trice Stadium, the Cyclone Marching Band’s pregame show is scheduled for 10:51 a.m., the national anthem follows at 10:57 a.m., and the team is set to run out at 11:03 a.m.
Iowa State enters the game at 1-1 after last week’s 16-13 loss at Iowa. Bowling Green is 0-2.
On the women’s side, one Big 12 date jumps off the page: Jan. 9, when Oklahoma State comes to Hilton Coliseum. That will bring Audi Crooks back to Ames in a Cowgirls uniform after three seasons with the Cyclones.
That matchup is the one fans will likely circle first on the schedule, and the teams will meet again on Feb. 27 in Stillwater in Iowa State’s regular-season finale.
The Cyclones open Big 12 play on Dec. 19 at Kansas State and then host TCU on Dec. 30 in their first conference home game. Game times and television information will come later.
In Other News...
Iowa State Already Has One Early Rotation Question Fans Will Notice
Two games into the Jimmy Rogers era, Iowa State football is already showing some early signs of how this roster is going to be managed. The snap counts shifted from one game to the next, which is the sort of thing fans tend to notice quickly in September when coaches are still learning what they have and deciding who can handle more of the load.
For a program trying to establish identity under a new staff, those rotation clues matter because they hint at how roles could settle as the season moves forward. The Cyclones have had other headlines around campus too, including Lilly Wacholz being ruled out for the rest of volleyball season and a summer concert coming to Jack Trice Stadium, but the football side is where the immediate scrutiny lives, especially if those usage changes keep building. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State's Big 12 Path Looks Tougher Than Fans Expected
Iowa States Big 12 slate is now in full view, and it brings the kind of grind Cyclones fans expected when the conference schedule finally dropped. The men's basketball team now knows its home-and-home opponents, the single-date matchups on both sides of the ledger and the dates that will shape the heart of league play, with a few home games tied to fan event themes to help break up the chase through January and February.
The bigger concern may be what comes before the games even begin. Sophomore guard Killyan Toure is dealing with a shoulder injury that required surgery, leaving his availability uncertain as the Cyclones move into a conference schedule packed with consecutive road and home stretches. For a team trying to navigate one of the Big 12s tougher routes, any delay in getting healthy could matter just as much as the dates on the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Offense Faces Its Biggest Early Test Against Bowling Green
Jaylen Raynor has brought an unusual amount of steadiness to Iowa States offense, and that matters this week as the Cyclones head into a nonconference matchup with Bowling Green. The Arkansas State transfer has started 37 straight FBS games, giving Iowa State a veteran presence under center even as the early season has shown some missed chances in the passing game and a few plays left on the field.
For Jimmy Rogers and offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl, the next step is less about shaking things up than tightening the details. They have stressed focus, communication and execution, the sort of basics that decide whether a promising drive turns into points or stalls out before the offense can finish the job. Against Bowling Green, Iowa State gets a chance to clean that up before the schedule gets any less demanding. [Read more 🡒]