Iowa State Cyclones Draw Big Ten Foe in Week 4 College Football Playoff Bracket

Who are the Iowa State Cyclones matched up with in the recent College Football Playoff bracket?

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The Iowa State Cyclones are receiving a much-needed bye in Week 4 of the 2025 college football season.

They are the only team in the country currently with a 4-0 record. It was hard-earned, facing and overcoming some major obstacles along the way. Their first game of the campaign was a Big 12 matchup in Ireland against the Kansas State Wildcats. There was no rest for the weary, opting not to have an idle week after that.

Instead, the Cyclones had their home opener in Ames against the South Dakota Coyotes. After trading touchdowns on each of their respective opening possessions, Iowa State ran them out of Jack Trice Stadium with a 55-7 victory. The following week, they hosted their rivals, the Iowa Hawkeyes, for the Cy-Hawk Trophy.

Iowa State Right in College Football Playoff Mix

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For the second straight year, it is staying in Amex. It was the first time since 2011 that Iowa State won on its home field against its in-state rivals. Kicker Kyle Konrardy became a Cyclones legend that afternoon, kicking the team to victory for the second time in as many years.

Alas, there was no rest for the weary. In Week 3, they played for the fourth consecutive weekend, this time in their first true road game of the year. The Cyclones traveled to Jonesboro, Arkansas, to take on the Arkansas State Red Wolves. They are the first Big 12 program and the highest-ranked team to ever take the field at Centennial Bank Stadium.

In a tougher-than-anticipated matchup, Iowa State came away with a 24-16 win. Getting through the first quarter of their season undefeated isn’t something many people predicted, but Matt Campbell has his team playing at a high level. As a result, they are right in the College Football Playoff mix a month into the season.

Still incredibly early in the process, with teams not even starting their conference schedules yet, it is tough to project too far into the future. But teams would rather be in the projected field right now than out of it. That is exactly where the Cyclones find themselves.

Iowa State Draws Penn State in Recent College Football Playoff Bracket

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Max Chadwick of PFF (subscription required) shared an updated version of what the bracket could look like heading into Week 4. Iowa State has landed at No. 11, setting up a massive matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are No. 6. This hypothetical matchup would be a defensive battle.

Both teams have talent on the offensive side, but it is the defense leading the way to success. Getting things humming on the other side of the ball would make them that much more dangerous. This would also be a very fun quarterback matchup between Drew Allar and Rocco Becht.

This is far from set in stone, as things are going to be shaken up big time in two weeks when the Big Ten stalwarts face off against one of their newest conference foes, the Oregon Ducks. The Ducks are currently No. 5 in Chadwick’s bracket, just missing out on a bye. Another Big Ten program, the Ohio State Buckeyes, is No. 1. They are projected for a bye along with the Miami (FL) Hurricanes, LSU Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs.