Spring Football Schedule Preview: Iowa State

The Cowboys head to Ames on Halloween. Hopefully this trip won’t be as scary as some in the past.

Oklahoma State will look to get revenge on Iowa State, the last team the Pokes have played as of writing. But as far as last year’s game goes, there aren’t many remaining players that were in it, on either side.

Let’s continue our spring jaunt through OSU’s football schedule with a trip to Iowa State. Be sure to check out the previous episodes: Noncon | WVU | UCF | Houston | Colorado

Week 8: Iowa State | Oct. 31 | Ames, Iowa

Series history: 34-22-3

Last meeting: Iowa State 20, OSU 13 | Nov. 29, 2025 | Stillwater, Okla.

The Cyclones handed the Cowboys their 18th-straight Big 12 loss to cap 2025 in front of the smallest BPS crowd since COVID. No shame, it had been a long two years. The Cowboys were down just three at halftime and remained within 10 points the entire game, but another L is another L.

Iowa State in 2025: Iowa State went 8-4 in 2025, rebounding to win its final three games (including that finale in Stillwater), but the team voted to decline their bowl invite due to a shortage of healthy players and after longtime head coach Matt Campbell took the job at Penn State.

Iowa State in 2026: It’s a new era in Ames. The Cyclones are just two years removed from an 11-win season, but the rebuild is on with over 50 players leaving, including a good chunk of those following Campbell to Happy Valley.

Former Washington State head coach Jimmy Rodgers is in and leading that rebuild. He’s brought in Arkansas State QB Jaylen Raynor and a pair of defensive ends with him from Wazzu in Isaac Terrell (who led the Pac-12 in sacks last year) and Malaki Ta’ase (who was fourth). 😏All jokes aside, they did combine for 9.5 sacks.

Of note: Despite some nice pieces, it’s probably going to be rough for the Cyclones. They rank 102nd in returning production (the lowest of any Big 12 team) and second-worst in transfer portal rankings (60th) according to 247Sports.