Iowa State on Collison Course for Epic Purdue Rematch in Recent Bracketology Update

The Iowa State Cyclones and Purdue Boilermakers could meet up again with a lot on the line in a recent Bracketology update.

Dec 6, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) dribbles past Purdue Boilermakers guard C.J. Cox (0) during the first half at Mackey Arena. | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones kept their undefeated season going with a dominant victory over the Long Beach State Beach in their last game at Hilton Coliseum.

Now 12-0 on the season, they were able to move up to No. 3 in the AP Poll Top 25 after the Duke Blue Devils suffered an epic collapse against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, blowing a 17-point second-half lead.

The Cyclones have only one non-conference game remaining against the Houston Christian Huskies before starting their Big 12 schedule. As things stand right now, they are in a great spot when it comes to seeding for the NCAA Tournament.

Over at ESPN, Joe Lunardi released his updated NCAA Men’s Bracketology update. Iowa State remains one of the top seeds, holding the No. 1 spot as the top-ranked team in the South Region.

Where is Iowa State ranked in recent Bracketology update?

Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger watches from bench against Iowa during the first half in the men’s basketball Cy-Hawk series on Dec. 11, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That means getting to play the first weekend games in St. Louis. Should they be victorious against the No. 16 seed Howard Bison or Grambling State Tigers, who will face off in the No. 16 seed play-in game, the Cyclones will face off against either the No. 8 seed UCLA Bruins or the No. 9 seed North Carolina State Wolfpack after that.

Going against Grambling State would be a rematch from a game earlier in the campaign. Back on Nov. 6 in their second game of the season, Iowa State blew them out 102-62 at Hilton Coliseum.

That isn’t the only rematch the Cyclones could have in their region. Should they navigate their first three NCAA Tournament games successfully, they will be matched up with a Purdue Boilermakers squad that would love to get another shot at them.

On Dec. 2, Iowa State went into Mackey Arena and put together a historic performance. They handed Purdue a 23-point loss, tying the record for the largest margin of defeat for an AP Poll No. 1-ranked team ever.

Iowa State could face familiar foes on road to Final Four

Nov 28, 2025; Kissimmee, FL, USA; Brigham Young University Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) reacts after making a three point basket against the Dayton Flyers in the second half during the ESPN Events Invitational at State Farm Field House. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

That would be a massive matchup, potentially in the Elite Eight with the Boilermakers being the No. 2 seed in the region. At No. 3 is another familiar foe: the BYU Cougars, whom the Cyclones will face off against on Feb. 21 as part of their conference schedule.

Iowa State and BYU are two of eight Big 12 teams projected to be in the field. One of the other teams, the Arizona Wildcats, is projected to be the automatic qualifier, earning a No. 1 seed in the West Region in the process.

The eight schools from the Big 12 are tied for the second-most for a single conference with the ACC. Only the SEC and Big Ten, with 10 representatives apiece, are projected to have more.