Iowa State football enters 2026 with a whole new feel, and the biggest reason is simple: everything has been turned over. Matt Campbell is gone to the Big Ten, Jimmy Rogers has taken over the head coaching job, and Jamie Pollard hired Rogers before later resigning as the school’s athletic director. Add in the fact that the Cyclones return zero starters on either side of the ball, and there’s no mystery about why the questions in Ames are piling up fast.
That doesn’t mean the season is doomed before it starts. Rogers already showed he can navigate serious roster churn, putting together a 6-6 season at Washington State with 75 brand-new players in his lone year there. The bigger question now is whether that kind of quick rebuild can hold up in the Big 12.
At quarterback, everything starts with Jaylen Raynor. Iowa State has some pieces around him, including Hampton tight end transfer Christian Greenlaw, one of only two players on the roster with starting experience last season, and Tarleton State wideout Cody Jackson, who earned Second Team UAC honors.
But Raynor is the key. He arrives after throwing for 3,361 yards as a junior at Arkansas State, and the Cyclones are counting on him to steady the offense.
Behind him, the depth is shaky. Oklahoma State transfer Zane Flores is the likely No. 2, even though he threw seven interceptions in eight starts for an 0-12 Cowboys team last year.
The concern on defense is just as real at cornerback. Iowa State heads into the season with little proven production at the position, and the room no longer includes standouts Jontez and Jeremiah Cooper.
Washington State senior transfer Duhron Goodman is expected to lead the group, with sophomore David Coffey sitting first on the depth chart. Former five-star recruit Jaheim Singletary is also in the mix after starting 12 games and making 54 tackles over the last three years at Arkansas.
The late-November matchup with Kansas State stands out on the schedule. Iowa State should have chances for Big 12 wins against West Virginia, Baylor, and UCF, but the Nov. 28 home finale against the Wildcats feels like the one to circle. It will be the first Rogers Farmageddon game, and the Cyclones could have a shot to catch Collin Klein’s team after Kansas State has played seven straight weeks of football.
In Other News...
Hilton Could Deliver Iowa State Fans A Tamin Lipsey Homecoming
Hilton Coliseum is set for a rare NBA stopover on Oct. 7, 2026, when the Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves bring a preseason game to Ames. For Iowa State fans, the matchup already has some familiar appeal because Tyrese Haliburton, the former Cyclone star, is on the Pacers and will be back in a building that knows him well.
There is another possible layer of intrigue for Cyclone supporters, too, with recent Iowa State graduate Tamin Lipsey connected to the Pacers after playing in Summer League. Lipseys path has given Ames a plausible hometown tie to the exhibition, though his place on Indianas roster for next season has not been confirmed, leaving just enough uncertainty to keep the buildup interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State's Cornerback Battle Is Creating A New Secondary Identity
A tornado warning delay interrupted Day 8 of Iowa States training camp, but the work eventually resumed and the focus quickly shifted to a position group that has become one of the most intriguing on the roster. Cornerbacks coach Mike Banks has been talking up the depth in the room, pointing to David Coffey, Seth Johnson and Jaheim Singletary as examples of a group that has brought real competition to practice and given the secondary a different kind of edge.
Banks has also seen the kind of growth that matters most in August: stronger bodies, sharper minds and a better feel for what the defense is asking them to do. With so many corners pushing for snaps, the battle has started to shape the way Iowa States back end looks and feels, and the next stretch of camp should only tighten that race as the Cyclones try to sort out who fits where. [Read more 🡒]
Seth Johnson Could Be Iowa States Answer In The Secondary
Seth Johnson has given Iowa State a reason to feel better about the depth and flexibility in its secondary. The redshirt sophomore cornerback arrived with a reputation for versatility, and after a year of adding weight and muscle, he is now positioned to work at both nickel and cornerback as the Cyclones sort out who can handle the most important snaps in the defensive backfield.
Johnson and the coaching staff have both emphasized the same thing: he is ready to compete for playing time, not just fill a spot. The next step is turning that physical progress into production, and for Johnson, one obvious benchmark remains on the table as he settles into this new role in Ames. [Read more 🡒]