Iowa State’s 16-13 loss to Iowa in Week 2 hurt on the scoreboard, but the Cyclones also took a major hit that could shape the rest of their season.
Wide receiver Evan Boyd went down in the first half after making a catch, and the scene immediately looked bad. He was later seen on the bench being evaluated and clearly frustrated by what had happened. Head coach Jimmy Rogers then delivered the hard news while updating the status of players who were injured against the Hawkeyes: Boyd will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury.
That’s a brutal blow for an Iowa State passing game that has already had trouble generating big plays. Boyd had been listed as a starter on the depth chart every week this season, including Week 3 against the Bowling Green Falcons before he was ruled out, and he was expected to handle a meaningful role on offense.
His path to Iowa State made him one of the more experienced pieces in the room. A transfer from Michigan State who began his career at Central Michigan, Boyd brought Power Four experience into the season. He still has one year of eligibility left, and because the injury came so early, there’s at least a chance he’ll be ready when the 2027 season begins for Iowa State.
With Boyd out, the door opens for others. Carter Pabst is one name to watch after many expected him to be a starter following Jimmy Rogers from Washington State to the Cyclones.
Freshman Jamal Polite Jr. could also pick up more snaps at wide receiver. He didn’t play in Week 1 against Southeast Missouri State, but he was on the field for eight snaps against Iowa, ran seven routes and caught his only target from Jaylen Raynor for 20 yards. Polite finished with the second-highest receiving grade on the team at 65.3, trailing only Omari Hayes at 70.0.
Now there’s a real opening in the rotation, and Iowa State will have to see who steps into it.
In Other News...
Tamin Lipsey Could Change Iowa States Biggest 2026-27 Question
Tamin Lipseys future could end up shaping one of Iowa States biggest questions for the 2026-27 season, and it has nothing to do with what happens on the floor in the near term. Lipsey and other student-athletes have joined a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking a fifth year of competition eligibility, arguing that players from the Class of 2022 were improperly left out of the associations Five-for-Five model.
The case is still moving through the courts, with both sides ordered to submit legal findings by Sept. 17, 2026. For Iowa State, the issue carries obvious weight because Lipsey has been central to the programs recent success, and his eligibility status could eventually affect how the Cyclones approach their roster planning for the next season and beyond. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Just Raised Expectations For Jimmy Rogers In A Big Way
The first two weeks under Jimmy Rogers have given Iowa State a far different early read than the one many projected in the summer. With a nearly rebuilt roster and a new coaching staff, the Cyclones handled Southeast Missouri State in Week 1 and then went toe-to-toe with Iowa before falling just short in the rivalry game, a start that has already pushed this group beyond the preseason chatter that had them buried near the bottom of the Big 12.
Now comes the part that will really define how much this start matters. Iowa State still has a demanding run ahead, with conference play and a mix of home and road tests set to tell whether this is simply a promising opening or the start of something more durable, and bowl eligibility will depend on how the Cyclones respond once the schedule stiffens and the margin for error gets thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Is Already Making A Bold Early Bet On 2028 Talent
Jimmy Rogers has barely settled in as Iowa States new head coach, and the recruiting board is already starting to take shape. Along with reaching into the Class of 2026 and 2027, including some Washington State commits following him to Ames, the Cyclones also dipped well into the future by extending an offer to Class of 2028 quarterback Sean Nevills during a recent visit.
For Nevills, it was a meaningful moment in an early recruiting cycle, since the Iowa State offer was his first from a Power Four program. He came away with a positive impression of the staff and the way the program presented itself, though his exact fit in Ames is still to be determined as the Cyclones continue evaluating where he belongs. [Read more 🡒]