Iowa State is back in Hilton Coliseum on Tuesday night for a 7 p.m. CT matchup with Southern, with the game set for ESPN+.
The Cyclones enter the night after opening the season with a 80-76 loss to Memphis on Monday, Nov. 2, then following that up with an 83-67 win over Southern Miss on Friday, Nov. 6. Southern is next on the schedule as Iowa State continues its nonconference run in Ames.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.
For fans keeping an eye on the full slate, Iowa State’s 2026-27 regular season schedule stretches from the early November opener all the way to a March 6 home game against West Virginia. The Big 12 portion begins Jan. 2 against Arizona at home, and the conference grind includes road trips to places like Houston, Texas Tech, UCF, Baylor and Kansas, along with home dates against Kansas State, Utah, Kansas, Cincinnati, TCU and West Virginia.
Before league play arrives, the Cyclones still have a busy stretch ahead. After Southern, they host Niagara on Sunday, Nov. 15, then head to the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas for matchups with San Diego State and either Tennessee or Maryland, followed by another game against one of Louisville, Texas Tech, St.
John’s or Oregon. Later nonconference dates include Purdue, Iowa, Missouri State in Kansas City, Northern Arizona and New Hampshire.
Tuesday’s game will be available on ESPN+, and an audio feed is also available.
In Other News...
Iowa State Suddenly Has A Chance At A Major Defensive Addition
Iowa States roster overhaul under a new coaching staff has already made recruiting a priority, and one of the more intriguing names in the mix is junior college cornerback Jontavius Wyman. The East Mississippi Community College standout has put together a strong run there, and the Cyclones have stayed active in his recruitment as they try to add immediate help on the back end.
Wyman is now preparing for an official visit to Ames, a sign that Iowa State remains firmly in the conversation as it tries to piece together its next defensive core. He has spoken positively about the Cyclones interest and the way the staff has supported him through the process, which gives Iowa State a real chance to make a move before this recruitment reaches its next stage. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Already Has A Ranking Debate Fans Didn't Want
The season-opening loss to Memphis did more than spoil Iowa States first night out, it ended a run that had kept the Cyclones in the AP Poll Top 25 for 53 straight weeks. After a 80-76 defeat at a neutral site, Iowa State is out of the rankings for the first time in a long stretch, and the early conversation around the team has shifted from preseason expectations to an unwelcome reset.
The Big 12 still looks strong in the poll, with five teams now inside the Top 25, but the Cyclones are the notable absence after Nebraska slid into the spot they vacated. Iowa State was the only preseason ranked team to lose to an unranked opponent so far, which makes the first week of the season feel less like a stumble and more like the start of a debate the Cyclones probably hoped to avoid. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Faces A Brutal Test With Bowl Hopes On The Line
Bowl eligibility is suddenly sitting right in front of Iowa State, and the margin for error is gone as Cincinnati comes to Ames for a game that could shape the Cyclones season. The timing is not ideal for a team already working through key injuries and defensive issues, but this is the kind of late-season matchup that can still salvage a year if the home team finds a way to steady itself.
Cincinnati brings a rushing attack that has been tough to slow down, with quarterback JC French IV and running back Cole Tabb giving the Bearcats a pair of threats Iowa State has to account for on every snap. For the Cyclones, the challenge is as much about surviving the matchup as it is controlling it, and the list of Cincinnati players to watch only underscores how demanding this one could be. [Read more 🡒]