Faulty Big 12 officiating aside, Iowa State’s offense has become the clearest problem hanging over the Cyclones as they come out of the bye week.
The numbers tell the story in blunt fashion. Iowa State sits 16th in the Big 12 in passing, 14th in scoring and 15th in overall offense. That is the bottom of the league, and it has put the offense front and center with Arizona up next Saturday, followed by home games against Oklahoma State and Baylor.
The Cyclones have lost to Iowa, Utah and BYU, all Top 20 teams, by an average of just 10 points per game. But those close margins haven’t changed the bigger issue: a passing attack that simply has not been good enough.
And so the quarterback becomes the easy target.
That’s the way college football works. When an offense sputters, the quarterback gets the first finger pointed at him, and often the loudest criticism too.
Iowa State is no different. With the Cyclones sitting at 3-3 after the bye weekend, the calls for a change keep coming, whether they’re fair or not.
Is Jaylen Raynor the only reason Iowa State’s offense ranks ahead of just UCF in the Big 12?
Of course not, but with Iowa State’s 3-3 record after a bye weekend, there are still calls for change. Right or wrong, it’s the Blame Game everyone plays - without even knowing if QB2 is up to the QB1 task.
That conversation has been building since the 24-10 loss at BYU and again after the first half of the 31-17 loss at Utah. Until the Cyclones start winning again, it’s going to keep coming up.
The reality is that this isn’t just on one player. The offensive line hasn’t been good enough.
The injury situation, especially at receiver, hasn’t helped. Defending and tackling on the other side of the ball has also been part of the overall mess.
And the passing game still hasn’t found its footing.
That leaves coach Jimmy Rogers with decisions to make. He could make a quarterback change, whether that means starting Connor Moberly or even trying two quarterbacks at once.
Another option, at least as a thought, is using Aiden Flora behind center. He has been Iowa State’s most productive and explosive offensive player, and the former walk-on from Adel could be asked to “cook - assuming he’s healthy.”
Iowa State did show some offensive life in the 45-42 win against West Virginia, and the question now is whether that kind of creativity can stretch across the rest of the season.
There is still a path to a bowl game. Cincinnati, UCF and Kansas State remain on the schedule, and winning those games would get the Cyclones to six victories. In what is essentially a start-up season, that would mean Rogers’ first year would clear the bar many fans had set.
But none of it gets there without the quarterback.
Whoever it is.
In Other News...
Iowa State Faces A New Era As A Cyclone Favorite Nears More History
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There is change on the mens side, too, with Ames native Tamin Lipsey expected to be granted eligibility to play this season. If that happens, the starting point guard could become a five-year fixture for Iowa State, giving the Cyclones a familiar centerpiece at a time when so much else around the program is shifting. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Finally Gets A Jack Trice Spot Fans Have Missed
Iowa State is heading into a tricky stretch after its bye, with a road trip to Arizona looming as the Cyclones fourth game this season against a ranked opponent. The schedule then finally brings them back to Jack Trice Stadium, where Oklahoma State will visit on Oct. 31 for a 6:00 p.m. CST kickoff in what will be Iowa States first night game of the year.
For a 3-3 team still trying to lock up bowl eligibility, the timing matters. The Cyclones need three more wins, and getting a long-awaited primetime home setting against the Cowboys adds a little extra weight to a game that could shape the rest of the season for Iowa State and its fans. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Showed Fight But One Early Concern Stood Out
Iowa States comeback bid Tuesday night had all the energy of a team trying to claw its way back into a game it had let get away. Creighton stretched the margin to as many as 19 points in the second half before the Cyclones finally found their footing, and even though the rally came up just short in an 83-80 loss, there was enough balanced scoring on Iowa States side to suggest the offense can still be dangerous when it gets moving.
The concern, though, was how much ground Iowa State had to make up in the first place. Creighton had control for long stretches behind Katrell Harmons 16 points and six assists, while the Cyclones were left trying to chase the game until the final buzzer. Jamarion Batemon finished with 15 points, and six Iowa State players reached double figures, but the early hole ultimately proved too deep to escape. [Read more 🡒]