Iowa State’s football program has a new coach, a fresh start, and now a fresh valuation to go with it.
The Cyclones landed at No. 48 in The Athletic’s estimated college football program valuations, which pegged Iowa State at $300 million. That figure is down just a bit from the previous year, when the program was listed at $331 million and checked in at No. 45 nationally.
At the top of the list, the Texas Longhorns came in first at $2.46 billion, with the Ohio State Buckeyes right behind at $2.3 billion. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were next at $2.1 billion, followed by the Michigan Wolverines at $2.0 billion and the Georgia Bulldogs at $1.95 billion.
For Iowa State, the number places the program in the middle of the Big 12 pack. The Cyclones are behind the Utah Utes, Texas Tech Red Raiders, BYU Cougars, TCU Horned Frogs, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Arizona State Sun Devils, and Colorado Buffaloes. They sit ahead of the West Virginia Mountaineers, Kansas State Wildcats, Arizona Wildcats, Baylor Bears, UCF Knights, Kansas Jayhawks, Cincinnati Bearcats, and Houston Cougars.
That leaves Iowa State eighth in the conference, a slot that reflects where the program stands right now after a major offseason reset. Matt Campbell is gone, having left for the Penn State Nittany Lions, and several players followed him to Happy Valley, PA. The Cyclones responded by hiring Jimmy Rogers, who came over from the Washington State Cougars, and he brought some of his own top players with him.
The valuation may not flatter Iowa State, but it does fit a program still trying to climb back toward the top. The Cyclones open the season Sept. 5 against the SEMO Redhawks at Jack Trice Stadium.
In Other News...
Xzavion Mitchell Still Has A Chance To Matter For Iowa State
Xzavion Mitchells Iowa State season started in the kind of role that often goes unnoticed unless a game gets out of hand. He was used sparingly in the early part of the 2025-26 campaign, mostly in late-game minutes during lopsided wins, and T.J. Otzelberger pointed to Mitchells versatility as one reason the staff kept him in the mix. Even in a small sample, the message was clear enough for a young player on a deep roster: stay prepared, because opportunities can arrive in different ways.
Mitchells path took a tougher turn once an injury ended his year before it could really develop, but that does not erase the value of the minutes he already logged or the place he still holds in the programs future plans. For a team that leans on depth and flexibility, players like Mitchell often matter most when the season changes shape and the rotation needs another option. Otzelbergers emphasis on being ready suggests Iowa State still sees a role there, even if the timeline for it has been pushed back. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa States New Defensive Identity Rests On These Key Transfer Pieces
Iowa States new era under Jimmy Rogers is already taking shape around defense, with Jesse Bobbit following him in as coordinator and the staff clearly putting an emphasis on toughness and structure for the 2026 season. A big part of that reset comes from the transfer market, where the Cyclones have pieced together a group of newcomers who should help define what this unit looks like under a fresh coaching staff.
Isaac Terrell, Taase, Montreze Smith Jr., Singletary and Crawford all bring different backgrounds and levels of experience, and that mix is exactly why they matter to this roster. Some have already proven they can handle bigger stages, while others arrive with the kind of upside that can be shaped quickly if the new staff gets the fit right, and how those pieces come together will go a long way toward telling the story of Iowa States defense next fall. [Read more 🡒]
Killyan Toure Could Define How Far Iowa State Can Go
Killyan Toure arrives at this season with a clear lane to carve out for Iowa State: be the kind of on-ball defender that changes games before the offense ever has to catch up. T.J. Otzelberger has gone so far as to say the sophomore guard could be the nations best at that job, and that kind of trust fits the way the Cyclones have built their identity around pressure, toughness and making opposing guards miserable for 40 minutes.
Toure seems to welcome the assignment, but the broader challenge is what he adds beyond stopping the ball. Iowa State would love for his scoring and shot-making to become steadier as his role grows, because when a defense-first guard starts tilting possessions at both ends, it can change the ceiling of the whole team. The Cyclones already know what he means to their backbone; the question is how much more he can become while carrying it. [Read more 🡒]