The easiest way to describe Iowa State’s win over West Virginia is this: it was a blast, and it was messy, and somehow both things were true at once.
That kind of game can wear on everybody involved. There were stretches when it looked like fans, players and coaches alike might all “rip your hair out,” as Jimmy Rogers said. But when the dust settled, the Cyclones had something that felt bigger than a box score: a performance that brought the crowd back into it and, at least for one night, felt a lot like the Iowa State identity fans have missed.
Rogers has tried to keep the message simple.
"We can be bald together."
Jimmy Rogers has a simple message to Iowa State fans.
"Our players fed off that energy for that really probably 18-minute stretch where we were starting to get in rhythm. That's pivotal. Although, you (sometimes) might want to rip your hair out with… pic.twitter.com/nkKTi1ElfY
- Cyclone Fanatic (@cyclonefanatic) September 29, 2026
That matters because the connection between this program and its fan base had loosened after the coaching change. Games like this are the kind that start pulling people back in. Iowa State played with the sort of urgency that makes every snap feel like it matters, and the players who stayed in Ames were right in the middle of it.
That part of the story is impossible to miss. In a roster rebuilt with more than 80 new players, some of the biggest fingerprints on this win belonged to the guys who were already here. They may not have been the hottest names in the transfer market, but they were the ones who showed up and shaped the game.
Aiden Flora was the headliner, and then some. The running back turned in the best game of his young career and one of the strongest Iowa State performances in a long time.
He ran 22 times for 212 yards and three touchdowns, then added two completed trick-play passes for 48 more yards and two additional scores. All five Cyclone touchdowns went through Flora.
He had already flashed big-time ability with a 194-yard rushing game against Bowling Green a few weeks earlier, but this one pushed him into a different conversation entirely.
Keeping him in Ames was a priority for Rogers from the jump, and it shows.
Following the Cyclones’ win over WVU, Rogers talked about what Flora has come to mean to the program.
“He’s a blessing here.” pic.twitter.com/hXhIIJSvlQ
- Cyclone Fanatic (@cyclonefanatic) October 3, 2026
Flora wasn’t the only returnee making noise. Defensive tackle Zaimir Hawk was living in the backfield whenever there was a false start to chase, sprinting in and helping juice the crowd.
Kyle Konrardy, the face of the returning group, kept the field goal unit steady again. And on defense, Drew Surges, Carson Willich and Beni Ngoyi all stood out as real difference-makers.
Those players deserve a lot of credit, especially after Friday night’s debacle out east had already put everybody in a foul mood.
There’s also something about this Iowa State group that taps into an older feeling around the program. The NIL era has changed the sport, and the old under-the-table reality has become an open one.
But there is still a certain charm in seeing guys from your accounting class line up against people making millions. That energy was there in this game, even if money is part of the picture now.
The defense, though, still has room to grow. It was supposed to be the foundation of the team, and it simply wasn’t sharp enough for much of the night.
The first half against Utah fell short, and both halves against West Virginia were not at the level Iowa State needs. Still, when the game tightened up, the defense answered.
They forced a turnover, had one play ruled an incompletion after an interception look, and then finished the job by punching the ball loose to seal the win.
Offensively, the Cyclones took some deserved criticism earlier in the season. This time, they made a lot of that noise look pretty silly.
Even with 45 points on the board, some people still found reasons to gripe online, but the overall operation was exactly what Iowa State needed. The playcalling had a great rhythm.
Jaylen Raynor took what was there and kept the chains moving. Flora was unstoppable.
The receivers found space and made plays. The offensive line drew a couple of weak holding penalties, but otherwise handled business as one unit instead of 11 separate parts.
Cody Jackson also had a day worth noticing. The sixth-year Tarleton State transfer put up 160 yards and a touchdown, adding another layer to a career that has already included four college football teams and a severe health scare.
For a player who knows his time with the program is limited because of eligibility, the effort has clearly meant something. Watching him keep grinding and contribute like that stood out.
Now the schedule gets serious. Iowa State’s next three games - BYU, Oklahoma State and Arizona - are the three toughest conference tests left outside of Utah.
Going 0-3 would leave the Cyclones in a bad spot for bowl positioning. Going 3-0 would keep a Big 12 title game shot alive.
Split the difference, and you’re probably looking at a decent bowl outcome in Rogers’ first season.
For now, though, the West Virginia win is enough to feed the appetite around Ames. At least for a little while, the Cyclones gave their fans something loud, chaotic and worth hanging onto.
In Other News...
BYUs Undefeated Run Suddenly Carries One More Concern Against Iowa State
BYUs unbeaten start has turned Week 6 into more than just another road test, with the No. 8 Cougars carrying both momentum and expectations into a matchup against an Iowa State team still sorting through a transition year under coach Jimmy Rogers. Bear Bachmeier has helped fuel that rise with 10 total touchdowns in four games, and the Cougars now get a chance to keep their perfect record intact against a Big 12 opponent that has not always made life easy on the ground.
For Iowa State, the concern goes beyond simply slowing down an elite-looking team. The Cyclones have had trouble defending the run, which makes this a tricky spot even before considering the pregame questions around personnel and the betting market that has formed around the matchup. If Iowa State is going to turn this into a real fight, it likely starts with fixing the issues that have made this one of the more revealing early-season games on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Raynor Is Giving Iowa State Fans A Real QB Debate
Iowa States 3-2 start has already given the Cyclones plenty to sort through, from a pair of losses to Utah and Iowa to wins over West Virginia, Bowling Green and Southeast Missouri State. One of the biggest developments has been at quarterback, where Jaylen Raynor, the Arkansas State transfer, worked through a rough opening stretch with shaky completion numbers and some interceptions before settling in and helping steady the offense.
What makes the conversation around Raynor more interesting now is how quickly his role is growing. His passing game is becoming a more important part of what Iowa State does each week, and the recent uptick has created a real debate for fans watching this offense take shape. The Cyclones are still early in the season, but the trajectory at quarterback has become one of the clearest reasons the rest of the schedule feels worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cyclones Are Making Noise Across The NFL Right Now
A familiar Iowa State pipeline is showing up all over the NFL through the first month of the season. Ten former Cyclones were on the field in Week 4, logging snaps on offense, defense and special teams as they kept carving out roles for their pro teams. For a program that has sold itself on development for years, it was another reminder that Ames continues to send players into the league who are capable of contributing in a variety of ways.
The full Week 4 snapshot also included the less visible side of an NFL season, with some former Cyclones sidelined by injuries and others on injured reserve. Even so, the groups combined workload highlighted how widespread the Iowa State footprint has become on Sundays, from rotational pieces to bigger-minute contributors. For Cyclones fans tracking the alumni watch, it was one of those weeks that made it easy to see just how many former players are staying in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]