Iowa State Football Future Opponent Week 1 Rundown

Some Iowa State Cyclones future opponents had big performnaces in Week 1.

Sep 5, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback DJ Lagway (2) in action against the Auburn Tigers in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Iowa State Cyclones had a great Week 1, where they were able to take down the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks, 38-10, to kick off the Jimmy Rogers era on the right foot.

While they were not able to cover the spread, they certainly proved that they can function as a team and could potentially be good enough to compete against some solid opponents.

But the interesting thing about Iowa State’s schedule is that it doesn’t always matter how good your team is, but who the teams in front of you are.

So let’s recap the weekend and determine whether each of the Cyclones’ opponents will be easier or harder than originally expected.

Easier

Sep 5, 2026; Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker Tate Romney (3) waits for the snap during the second half against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the biggest stories in college football over the weekend was the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who spent big bucks in the transfer portal just to lose poorly to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Another big one was the Bowling Green Falcons falling flat to the Tarleton State Texans, an FCS program.

The West Virginia Mountaineers also looked poor, as they won by just a touchdown against a subpar Coastal Carolina team at home. And the Baylor Bears, while falling short by a yard to the Auburn Tigers, did look horrible per the eye test.

All four of these teams were somewhat big stories in the fact that they may be worse than people expect, and they could be some big-time wins for Iowa State this year.

Same

Sep 5, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats safety Quinn Olson (35) celebrates after a turnover against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks during the third quarter at Casino Del Sol Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are a few teams that didn’t look great or bad. The Utah Utes dominated the Idaho Vandals, like they were supposed to. The BYU Cougars made work of the Utah Tech Trailblazers easily, too.

The Arizona Wildcats didn’t look amazing against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, winning by just 28 points, but not bad enough for the Cyclones to feel confident just yet.

All three teams looked good enough, but they don’t seem any harder than they were projected in the preseason. Also, all three seem like likely losses anyway, and so their first-week performances don't move the needle too much.

Harder

Sep 5, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski (10) looks to throw a pass against the Northern Illinois Huskies during the third quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are a few teams that look harder to beat than originally expected. The Iowa Hawkeyes took down the Northern Illinois Huskies 40-0, led by a dominant first half where they went up by 33.

The Kansas State Wildcats and UCF Knights played two poor programs, but looked fantastic, scoring 70+ points in their dominant wins. And the Cincinnati Bearcats took down the Boston College Eagles in a pretty solid win to begin their year, winning 34-15, raising some eyebrows.

These teams may be a bit tougher to beat than we thought before the season.