Iowa State’s 3-2 start has come with a strange subplot: the Cyclones are winning, but quarterback Jaylen Raynor has had to fight his way through the opening stretch.
The expectations were clear when the season began. After three steady, productive years at Arkansas State, Raynor arrived as the player many believed would be Iowa State’s best weapon and a central piece in Jimmy Rogers’ offense. Instead, the early weeks looked rough enough to spark real questions about whether backup Connor Moberly might be needed.
Raynor’s first three outings did little to calm anyone down. He completed just eight passes against Southeast Missouri State, then managed only 10 completions in the loss to Iowa, a game that was very winnable.
He followed that with 11 completions against Bowling Green. Over that span, he threw four touchdown passes and ran for two more, but the overall production left plenty to be desired.
Then came Week 4, and with it a much better sign of who Raynor can be.
He finished 21-of-40 for 205 passing yards against Utah, adding a touchdown through the air and another on the ground. The game still included two interceptions, but he also helped fuel a second-half comeback that gave Iowa State a real shot.
He followed that with his strongest performance yet in the 45-42 win over West Virginia. Raynor completed 19 of 27 passes for 264 yards, threw a touchdown and an interception, and kept the Cyclones moving when the game turned into a track meet.
In the fourth quarter, he repeatedly pushed the offense down the field to help Iowa State retake the lead. He also connected throughout the day with Cody Jackson, Dominic Oberby, and Omari Hayes.
Raynor’s season hasn’t matched the preseason hype, but the trend line is moving in the right direction. Each week has brought a little more control, a little more confidence, and a little more proof that he can be more than just a shaky start.
That matters for an Iowa State team that still leans on the run game. If Raynor keeps building on what he showed against Utah and West Virginia, the Cyclones may have a passing attack that can do more than just complement the ground game. It could make this offense a lot less predictable.
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BYUs Undefeated Run Suddenly Carries One More Concern Against Iowa State
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For Iowa State, the concern goes beyond simply slowing down an elite-looking team. The Cyclones have had trouble defending the run, which makes this a tricky spot even before considering the pregame questions around personnel and the betting market that has formed around the matchup. If Iowa State is going to turn this into a real fight, it likely starts with fixing the issues that have made this one of the more revealing early-season games on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
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The full Week 4 snapshot also included the less visible side of an NFL season, with some former Cyclones sidelined by injuries and others on injured reserve. Even so, the groups combined workload highlighted how widespread the Iowa State footprint has become on Sundays, from rotational pieces to bigger-minute contributors. For Cyclones fans tracking the alumni watch, it was one of those weeks that made it easy to see just how many former players are staying in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Jimmy Rogers Just Gave Iowa State Fans A Reason To Dream
Iowa State left Week 5 with more than a win over West Virginia. It also gave Jimmy Rogers his first Big 12 victory as head coach, a milestone that matters as much for the long view of the program as it does for the standings in early October. The Cyclones looked like a team that can still build something this season, and Aiden Floras five-touchdown eruption made sure the performance had the kind of punch fans remember.
Rogers has only had a short runway to put his stamp on the program, but victories like this can change the temperature around a season in a hurry. For Iowa State, the challenge now is turning one encouraging afternoon into something more durable, because one conference breakthrough is nice, but it also raises the question of how far this group can go if the offense keeps finding answers like it did against West Virginia. [Read more 🡒]