Iowa State’s season is about to open, and the biggest question hanging over the program is the one under center.
After a chaotic offseason, the Cyclones are walking into 2026 with a roster that looks nothing like last year’s group and a completely new coaching staff trying to make it all fit. Jimmy Rogers inherited a tough setup, and there’s a real chance this turns into a rebuilding season. Even so, there’s enough hunger on the roster - and enough depth - that Iowa State could end up catching some people off guard.
The pressure starts with the quarterback spot, because it always does. Iowa State had been expecting Rocco Becht to return for his senior year before he left for the Penn State Nittany Lions, a major setback for the program given everything he had already done there.
Now the job belongs to transfer Jaylen Raynor, who arrives from the Arkansas State Red Wolves with the task of stepping into those shoes. For Iowa State, the hope is simple: get steady production and keep the offense moving.
Raynor has plenty to offer. Last season at Arkansas State, he threw for 3,361 yards with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while also adding 423 rushing yards and seven rushing scores. That kind of dual-threat production gives the Cyclones something to build around.
Still, the move to the Big 12 changes the equation. The weekly competition will be tougher, and even though Raynor has already seen Power Four opponents - including Iowa State over the last two years - this is still a major step up in responsibility and difficulty.
At the same time, he won’t be doing it alone. Iowa State may not be the most talented team in the conference, but Raynor should be operating with better talent around him than he had at Arkansas State. That matters, especially for a quarterback trying to settle in quickly.
The Cyclones are not being framed as a title threat in the Big 12 or nationally. What they are aiming for is something more basic: competitiveness. And if that happens, Raynor’s numbers will have to be a big part of it.
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Iowa State May Have Found Jaylen Raynors Missing Piece Or Not
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What makes Hayes interesting is the mix of reliability and upside. He has shown he can make tough grabs and rise to the moment in bigger games, including a solid showing in Tulanes College Football Playoff appearance and a strong outing against Ole Miss, but the next step is still the one that matters most in Ames. If he can turn those flashes into a more complete weekly presence, Iowa State may have found exactly what it needs, even if the final piece of the puzzle is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]