Iowa State is about to meet a SEMO defense that already has one player making a loud early-season statement.
The Cyclones open their 2026 season Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium, kicking off the Jimmy Rogers era and starting their first year without Matt Campbell in charge in 11 years. On the other side is an FCS SEMO team that has already played once, and the Redhawks came away with a 23-21 road win over Indiana State in a game they were expected to lose.
That opener gave SEMO a clear defensive headliner: safety DJ Delmore.
Delmore is in his fourth year with the program, and his rise has been steady. He redshirted as a freshman, getting into two late-season games.
As a redshirt freshman, he mostly worked on special teams while picking up occasional snaps on defense. His best outing that year was just a two-tackle game.
The real jump came in his redshirt sophomore season, when he started eight games at safety and finished with 32 tackles. From there, he moved into a central role for the Redhawks.
His redshirt junior debut took things to another level. Delmore piled up 13 tackles, with seven solo stops, and added three tackles for loss, including a sack. He also broke up a pass, putting together a complete performance in SEMO’s win.
Southeast Missouri safety DJ Delmore was named OVC Defensive Player of the Week and kicker Justin Keller was tabbed Specialist of the Week Monday.Story: https://t.co/YnW1chrd1N pic.twitter.com/rqRMHHnHP8
It was the kind of game that made Delmore impossible to ignore. Even from the safety spot, he was constantly around the football and had a major hand in helping SEMO get that road victory.
For Iowa State, the first order of business is getting its own house in order. With 22 new starters spread across offense and defense, the Cyclones’ biggest task is making sure the pieces fit together on their own side.
Still, once that’s sorted out, Delmore is the name they need to have circled. He’s already shown he can fill up a stat sheet, and he won’t be easy to handle Saturday.
In Other News...
Iowa State Fans Have A New Jimmy Rogers Routine To Watch
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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
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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 🡒]