A new era begins
Jimmy Rogers steps onto the Cyclones' sideline after a stint that took him from the Pacific Northwest to the heart of the Midwest. The Washington State alum brings a reputation for coaxing production out of overmatched units, a skill set that the administration hopes will translate to a program that has lost nearly its entire starting lineup.
Rogers replaces Matt Campbell, whose departure was marked by a mass exodus of assistants and scholarship players to Penn State. The move left Iowa State with a skeletal coaching staff and a roster that must be rebuilt almost from scratch, setting the stage for a season that many analysts view as a rebuilding year.
Forecasts released by several sports analytics outlets project a 4‑8 overall record for the Cyclones, with a 2‑7 mark inside the Big 12. The model predicts victories against Southeast Missouri State, Bowling Green, West Virginia and Cincinnati, while losses are expected against traditional rivals such as Iowa, Utah, BYU, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Baylor, UCF and Kansas State.
A key factor behind the pessimistic outlook is the perceived weakness of the incoming signing class, which ranks near the bottom among Power Four programs. The limited talent pool, combined with the need to integrate a large number of newcomers, creates a steep learning curve for a team that will be heavily reliant on fresh faces to fill critical positions.
Rogers has experience working with similarly thin rosters, having managed roughly 75 newcomers at Washington State in 2025. He acknowledges that the Cyclones will need a series of favorable outcomes — injury luck, rapid player development and a few unexpected upsets — to secure a bowl invitation despite the challenging schedule.
The road environment adds another layer of difficulty; the team is projected to struggle in away games and is not expected to win on the road at all. Home games at Jack Trice Stadium may provide the only consistent source of momentum, but the overall narrative points to a season defined more by development than by immediate success.