The first game of the Jimmy Rogers era at Iowa State should hand the Cyclones exactly what Week 1 often does: a chance for new faces to show they belong.
When Southeast Missouri comes to Jack Trice Stadium, Iowa State is expected to win with relative ease. That kind of script opens the door for players to pile up snaps, make a few impact plays and start building trust with the coaching staff before the season gets rolling in earnest.
On defense, Caden Crawford is a name to watch. He started at Iowa, transferred to South Dakota, and is now back in the Power Four with a chance to make noise right away.
With Iowa State’s defensive line considered the deepest spot on the roster, Crawford’s margin for error is slim. Trey Verdon and transfer Malaki Ta’Ase will be pushing him for a role, so a strong opener matters if he wants to stay in the rotation.
Arnold Barnes III is another player who could make a quick impression, even though he wasn’t listed on Iowa State’s first depth chart. That raised some eyebrows, because he’s the most experienced back in the room.
Barnes has more production than the rest of the non-freshmen running backs - Aiden Flora, Cameron Pettaway and Ryver Peppers - combined. Tyler Roehl is expected to work Flora and Pettaway into the mix, but Barnes looks like the back who can help the Cyclones close out the game if they’re protecting a lead and trying to drain the clock between the tackles.
The same game flow could help Jaheim Singletary. If Iowa State gets out in front, Southeast Missouri should be forced to throw more, which means more chances for the secondary to make plays.
Singletary isn’t projected as a starter, but he’ll be battling Keyon Washington for snaps behind Seth Johnson and David Coffey, along with Ben Ngoyi. A former five-star recruit who spent time with Arkansas, Singletary has a real opening here to show what he can do.
He’s listed at 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds, and that frame gives him the size to match up on the outside when Johnson slides into the slot in nickel packages.
In Other News...
Iowa State Just Got A New Week 3 Problem To Prepare For
Bowling Greens quarterback picture just changed before the season even gets rolling, and Iowa State has a little more to study for in Week 3. Jay Kastantin, a transfer from Assumption College, has been named the Falcons starter, moving into the job after previously projected starter Austin Novosad had been in line for the role. The decision was confirmed by coach Eddie George in an ESPN report, giving the Cyclones a fresh name to prepare for on the schedule.
Kastantin arrives with a strong Division II track record and earned Northeast-10 Conference MVP honors in 2025, so this is not just a placeholder move for Bowling Green. For Iowa State, it means another layer of scouting work and another quarterback profile to sort through before the trip to face a team that has already made a meaningful shift at the games most important position. [Read more 🡒]
Isaac Terrell Could Set The Tone For Iowa State Right Away
Iowa State opens the season against SEMO with a roster that looks almost brand new, including 22 new starters and first-year head coach Jimmy Rogers. Among the most important arrivals is Isaac Terrell, the defensive lineman who followed Rogers from Washington State and gives the Cyclones an immediate anchor up front. His value goes beyond disruption, too, because Iowa State will lean on him not just for pass-rushing pressure but for the kind of steadiness that can help set the standard for a defense still finding its identity.
SEMO brings its own questions into the matchup after quarterback Braylen Ragland was under duress in the Redhawks' first game, when offensive line problems made life difficult. Terrell is exactly the sort of player who can turn those issues into a bigger problem right away, especially early in the season when communication and protection rules are still settling in. For Iowa State, the bigger point is obvious: a strong debut from Terrell could quickly make the Cyclones look much more settled than a team with so many new faces ought to be. [Read more 🡒]