There’s plenty to like about the season ahead, and that’s been the easy part to focus on. A new coach, new systems and new leaders have given the program a fresh feel, and the optimism has been obvious for weeks.
But the opener is going to tell us a lot, because there are a few real questions lingering underneath the buzz.
The biggest confidence usually starts up front. The offensive and defensive lines are the groups most people feel good about, and that makes sense. When Jimmy Rogers took the job, it was clear his first year of NIL pool would be aimed at strengthening those units, because everything on the field starts there.
The offensive line has to clear space for the running game. The defensive line has to create lanes for the linebackers to attack.
That part looks solid enough. The more uncertain piece is whether the skill talent on offense, along with the defensive help behind the line, can hold up their end.
At linebacker, there’s no shortage of talent. Sullivan Schlimgen, now in his second year after transferring from Washington State, had a strong freshman season.
Tristan Exline, who came over from UT Permian Basin in Division II, put up a staggering 143 tackles in 14 games in 2025. The jump from Division II to power conference football is huge, but if someone is going to make it work, the player with 143 tackles has a strong case.
The backfield is another spot worth watching. Aiden Flora and Cameron Pettaway are both likely to see the heaviest workloads of their college careers so far. They bring speed and elusiveness, but whether they’re ready to handle that stage is still an open question.
The deepest concern sits on the back end of the defense. Iowa State has enough front-seven talent to prevent a lot of teams from grinding out long, methodical drives over and over. That means opponents will need to hit more explosive plays to move the ball.
Braden Awls looked like the answer there. The Toledo transfer is a true ball hawk, and he picked off five passes in 2025.
But that plan changed when Awls tore his ACL in April, ending his season before it started. There are still players who can help over the middle, but the defender brought in specifically for that role won’t be available.
That’s the area that stands out most. Football demands precision, and one missed assignment can ruin a play even if everyone else does their job. On defense, a single bad read or communication breakdown can turn into six points in a hurry.
And with a new coach, the roster is basically a puzzle assembled from a bunch of different boxes. These players have come from different systems and different groups of teammates, and the season will hinge on how quickly they can stop looking like a collection of transfers and start looking like the Iowa State Cyclones.
Maybe the summer work has already built that chemistry. Still, once the first game arrives, that’s the part everyone will be watching.
In Other News...
Iowa State Fans Have A New Jimmy Rogers Routine To Watch
About 15 former Iowa State football players are expected to open the 2026 NFL season on active rosters after the leagues official roster deadline, another reminder of how much talent has been moving through the program in recent years. For Cyclone fans, its a notable point of pride and a useful measuring stick for where the program stands, especially as the current staff settles in and starts putting its own stamp on the roster and routine.
The fall schedule now gives supporters a steady weekly look at that process, with Tuesday morning media availabilities set to begin with head coach Jimmy Rogers and offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl, plus selected players. And beyond the weekly football updates, the Cyclone Club will be recognized at the home opener, a small but meaningful nod to the people whose support helps keep Iowa State athletics moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa States Opener Will Reveal How Set This New-Look Team Really Is
Iowa States season opener against Southeast Missouri State at Jack Trice Stadium arrives with the kind of fresh-start energy that always makes September interesting, but this one carries more uncertainty than usual. Jimmy Rogers is beginning his first year as head coach, and he has a new-look staff around him with Tyler Roehl, Jesse Bobbit and Rob Grande helping shape the early identity of the program.
The bigger question is how quickly all of that can come together once the ball is kicked off. With roughly 80 new players on the roster and only 25 back from last season, the Cyclones are trying to turn a major roster overhaul into something coherent before the schedule starts to tighten. The opener should offer an early glimpse of how settled Iowa State really is, and how much remains a work in progress. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa States Rebuilt Roster Faces An Early Test In Raynors Debut
Jaylen Raynor is about to get his first start for Iowa State, and it comes in a setting that will tell the Cyclones plenty about where their rebuilt offense stands. The transfer quarterback from Arkansas State has spent the lead-up to the opener earning trust in a system being shaped by head coach Jimmy Rogers and offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl, both of whom have stressed preparation and discipline as the foundation for this teams next step.
Southeast Missouri State may not be the kind of opponent that defines a season, but it is the kind that can expose how quickly a roster is coming together. Both sides have changed a lot since last fall, and Iowa State will be looking for clean execution and steady competitiveness as Raynor settles into a new role and the Cyclones begin to show what this version of the team can become. [Read more 🡒]