Editor’s note: Tenth in a series previewing each team in the Big 12 in 2025.
At the recent Big 12 football media days, commissioner Brett Yormark said that the conference he oversees is the deepest in college football, with no pushovers throughout the league.
He also said the league needs a couple of teams to become “big brands” in the way that 2024 departing teams Texas and Oklahoma were.
If there is a candidate right now that fits that description, it very well could be Iowa State. The Cyclones went 11-3 last season and downed Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl after losing to Arizona State in the Big 12 championship game, and are supposed to be just as good in 2025 in coach Matt Campbell’s 10th season at the helm.
Eleven wins was a school record, and it came despite the fact that 13 expected starters missed at least one game due to injury.
Twelve starters are back, including standout junior quarterback Rocco Becht, so expectations are sky-high in Ames, Iowa, this season. Becht has passed for 6,690 yards and 48 touchdowns in three seasons, and could move into some Heisman Trophy discussions with another big year.
“Rocco has evolved into one of the best quarterbacks in college football,” Campbell said at the Big 12 media days.
The QB’s two top targets last year — Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins — were selected in the NFL draft and will be difficult to replace as Becht tries to improve on last year’s mediocre 59.4% completion percentage. Campbell brought in Xavier Townsend from UCF and Chase Sowell from East Carolina to replace the aforementioned, and the Cyclones are also excited about redshirt freshman Cooper Alexander.
The Cyclones are set at running back as Carson Hansen (13 TDs in 2024) and Abu Sama III return. Returning offensive linemen Brendan Black, Tyler Miller and Dylan Barrett have 106 total combined starts.
A four-year starter, Miller said at media days that the chemistry and buy-in have never been better in Ames than they are now.
“We’ve got a really, really good culture going,” Miller said.
Campbell concurred, saying coaches are cautious as they look into the transfer portal to not upset that balance.
“Probably the great thing about Iowa State football is we really haven’t changed (our identity), from our end of it,” Campbell said. “We’ve certainly kept a priority on recruiting high school student-athletes into our football program and developing those young men and keeping those young men in our football program.
“Over the last 10 years, it has probably been the pillar of our success, and now (we are ) also certainly identifying and using other resources to get player acquisition, whether it has been the transfer portal, or graduate transfers. We’ve always tried to use every resource to build the best team year in and year out to help our team be the best.”
Iowa State’s defense was hit hard by injuries last year, but is again expected to be a strength in 2025.
Like BYU, ISU is loaded at the linebacker position. Caleb Bacon, Kooper Ebel and Will McLaughlin didn’t get to play much together in 2024, but when healthy form as good of a unit as there is in the Big 12.
Nose guard Domonique Orange decided to stay in Ames, which should really help the Cyclones’ defensive line.
“He’s got a chance to be one of the best defensive linemen in the country,” Campbell said. Iowa State only got 17 sacks last year, in 14 games, so there’s been an increased emphasis on building a better pass rush.
Defensive backs Jeremiah Cooper and Jontez Williams also made the All-Big 12 preseason team, as voted upon by the media. Williams had five interceptions last year.
Iowa State will host BYU on Oct. 25 and does not meet Utah this year after edging the Utes last year in Salt Lake City.
The Cyclones will meet Big 12 foe Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 23, part of the league’s plan to take its product to the world. Campbell said it presents a “unique challenge” but that the program is “honored” to be able to play in the game.
“Obviously, the respect that I and our kids have for Kansas State and that rivalry and their program and their players, it just makes it a really unique opportunity,” he said.
Iowa State Cyclones 2025 preview
2024 record: 11-3 (7-2 Big 12)
Local ties
- Wide receiver Dominic Overby (West Jordan High)
- Offensive lineman Vaea Ikakoula (West High School)
2025 schedule
- Aug. 23 — vs. Kansas State at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
- Aug. 30 — South Dakota
- Sept. 6 — at Iowa
- Sept. 13 — at Arkansas State
- Sept. 20 — Open
- Sept. 27 — Arizona
- Oct. 4 — at Cincinnati
- Oct. 11 — at Colorado
- Oct. 18 — Open
- Oct. 25 — BYU
- Nov. 1 — Arizona State
- Nov. 8 — at TCU
- Nov. 15 — Open
- Nov. 22 — Kansas
- Nov. 29 — at Oklahoma State