Jaylen Raynor’s season at Iowa State has taken a sharp turn, and so has the mood around the Cyclones.
The quarterback transfer from Arkansas State entered the year with big expectations after three straight seasons of steady production with the Red Wolves. Instead, the opening stretch was rough enough that his name kept coming up every time Iowa State came up short. Raynor didn’t look settled early, and the offense paid for it.
That was especially clear in the first two games. He opened the season by completing only eight passes against Southeast Missouri State, then followed that with a performance that produced just 13 points in a rivalry loss to Iowa. Through games 1-7, the numbers were hard to ignore: 13.3 completions per game on 22.6 attempts, one touchdown pass per game, 0.6 interceptions, and 158.1 passing yards per game.
But the last couple of weeks have looked different.
Against Oklahoma State at home, Raynor helped Iowa State pull out a 51-49 win by going 18-of-28 for 309 yards and three touchdowns with just one interception. The game ended on a late completion to wide receiver Jamal Polite Jr., and that throw sealed the victory.
Then came the trip to Baylor. Iowa State lost, but Raynor still put together another strong outing, finishing 22-of-37 for 256 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He helped the Cyclones jump out to a 10-0 lead before the defense lost its footing and the game slipped away.
The shift shows up in the numbers over the past two weeks. Raynor has gone from 13.3 completions per game to 20, from 158.1 passing yards per game to 282.5, from one touchdown to 2.5, and from 0.6 interceptions to 0.5.
Still, the stat line only tells part of the story. Raynor has looked more comfortable, more confident, and better when the heat is on. He’s also gotten more out of the people around him, including Jamal Polite Jr., Cameron Pettaway, Omari Hayes, and Ty Clairborne.
When Raynor is rolling, Iowa State’s offense looks far more complete. And with three games left, he has a few more chances to keep that momentum going and help push the Cyclones toward the bowl game they’ve been chasing all season.
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