With kickoff in the Big 12 getting closer by the day, the chatter is starting to shift from media days to fall camp. Less than three weeks remain until TCU opens the conference’s season against the fighting Bill Belichicks, a team that keeps finding itself in the middle of off-field drama.
And while North Carolina seems to have a fresh exit every week, there were still a few Big 12 storylines worth circling this week.
Jimmy Rogers is not wasting any time setting the tone at Iowa State. The new head coach has been direct since arriving, and he stayed true to that approach when he backed the Cyclones to win the Big 12. Asked about his vote, Rogers didn’t try to dress it up.
“What would you think if I didn’t vote on us? You’d wonder why I’m the head coach at Iowa State,” Rogers said.
“I was brought in to win. Very self-aware.
They didn’t hire me to come here and not be competitive. I wasn’t hired for my disposition.
I was hired to create a program that competes and wins and that’s the goal. We’re not signing up for second place.
“So I know that’s a bold statement, and they’ll print it everywhere. But the reality is this: the players have to believe in what you say, and you have to act on how you believe. I believe that we can win.”
That kind of honesty stands out. Rogers has already made it clear he’s not interested in playing it safe, and his comments match the kind of no-nonsense energy he’s brought since getting hired. Now comes the harder part: turning that confidence into results once the games start.
Colorado, meanwhile, is dealing with a different kind of attention. After a recent football video was posted, plenty of people online jumped straight to one theme: the Buffaloes look small.
The clip itself showed a good play, but the reaction focused on the size of the roster, especially with receiver Quinton Gibson listed at 5′ 9″ and 155 pounds. He’s one of 18 players on the roster listed at 170 pounds or less.
Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion wasn’t interested in entertaining the noise.
“I have zero reaction,” Marion said. “As the kids would say, pull up.
So we’re small. We’re this.
We’re that. Whatever.
I mean, at some point you’ve got to spot the ball and see. So that’s my mindset.”
There was also a Big 12 marketing wrinkle that caught attention this week. Brett Yormark’s Monster Energy deal raised some eyebrows when it was announced, and the skepticism hasn’t gone away. The arrangement still feels lopsided to some, especially with Monster getting so much visibility attached to Big 12 football.
Even so, the conference’s new Monster Energy Big 12 race car is hard to ignore. Riley Herbst will drive it, and the car is set to debut Saturday at the HyVee Perks 250 in Newton, Iowa. It may not suddenly convert anyone into a racing fan, but the look of it drew praise.
The deal itself may still be a tough sell, but the car? That part landed pretty well.
In Other News...
Iowa State Fan Momentum Is Being Tested In A Surprising Way
Iowa State football has enjoyed a strong run at the gate in recent seasons, capped by a school-record average of 60,862 fans per home game last year. That kind of support has become part of the programs identity, with Jack Trice Stadium routinely giving the Cyclones a home-field edge that matches the growing expectations around the team.
Jamie Pollard is seeing a different pace this time around as the 2026 season draws closer, with season ticket sales running behind previous years. The athletic director pointed to the lingering effects of negative publicity last winter as one factor, though there is still reason for optimism thanks to a favorable early home schedule that could help build momentum once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Raynor Is Giving Iowa State The Voice It Needed
Jaylen Raynor arrived in Ames with a rsum that already carried some real mileage, having started 36 straight games at Arkansas State before transferring into Iowa States pro-style offense. Now he is spending his early days under head coach Jimmy Rogers learning a different kind of quarterback job, one that asks for more command at the line of scrimmage and more comfort handling the ball under center. Coaches and teammates have noticed the way he has handled the transition, especially the leadership and work ethic that have helped him settle into a new locker room.
For Iowa State, the appeal goes beyond whether Raynor can pick up the system quickly. The Cyclones have been looking for a quarterback who can give the offense a steadier voice, someone who can organize the operation as much as execute it. Raynor is still adapting to the finer points of the scheme, but the early signs suggest he understands the responsibility that comes with the job and the standard expected in this first season with Rogers. [Read more 🡒]