Iowa State Football Reveals Updated Schedule Against BYU and UCF

The Jimmy Rogers era has officially begun for the Iowa State Cyclones with spring practices underway.

It is the first time fans are getting a look at how things will operate under the new head coach, who is facing some pressure as the replacement for Matt Campbell, who accepted the head coaching position with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

As the new staff get acclimated to Ames and their new roster, they are going to be dealing with an interesting quirk in the schedule this year. As shared by the official Iowa State football account on X, there has been an update.

The Cyclones are going to be playing two games on Friday night on the road this season, which will present some challenges for the team to navigate in the middle of their Big 12 schedule.

Iowa State scheduled for two Friday games this football season

An Iowa State Cyclones football helmet is seen during a news conference for the Cheez-It Bowl, Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla. | Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

The first of those games will come on Oct. 9. Iowa State will travel to Provo, Utah, to take on the BYU Cougars. It will be a short week for the Cyclones, who play against the West Virginia Mountaineers on Oct. 3 in Ames at Jack Trice Stadium.

Having to go on the road against BYU is already a tall task; doing so on a short week will make things even more challenging. The Cougars had their way with Iowa State during their visit to Ames for the 2025 season, winning 41-27.

Bear Bachmeier torched the Cyclones' defense, throwing for 307 yards while adding 49 rushing yards, accounting for three total touchdowns. BYU outscored them 24-3 in the second half, with quarterback Rocco Becht struggling with turnovers, throwing three interceptions. Overall, Iowa State turned the ball over four times.

If there is any positive to take away from having to play a game on a Friday, it is that a bye week follows for the Cyclones. After their trip to Provo, they won’t play again until Oct. 24 on the road against the Arizona Wildcats.

🚨 SCHEDULE UPDATE 🚨 pic.twitter.com/9dSDS60bV5
— Iowa State Football (@CycloneFB) April 10, 2026

The other Friday game will be played against their rivals, the UCF Knights, in Orlando, Florida. That game is set for Nov. 20, but Iowa State won’t have the luxury of having a bye following that contest.

The Cyclones will host the Cincinnati Bearcats at Jack Trice Stadium on Nov. 14 and their rivals, the Kansas State Wildcats, in Ames on Nov. 28 in the regular season finale.

Iowa State played both Cincinnati and Kansas State in 2025, but only the matchup with the Bearcats counted toward the Big 12 standings. The game against the Wildcats was played in Ireland and scheduled before conference realignment occurred.