Iowa State ranked in final AP football poll for first time since 2020

Cyclones finish best season in school history ranked 15th in AP Poll

Matt Campbell and Iowa State football ended the year ranked 15th in the final AP Poll. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

For the first time since the 2020 season, Iowa State is ranked in the final college football AP Poll Top 25.

The Cyclones, who won a school-record 11 games this past year, were 15th in the final rankings, which were released following Ohio State’s win over Notre Dame in the championship game of the College Football Playoff Monday night.

Ohio State received all 56 first-place votes and finished atop the poll followed by Notre Dame, Texas and Penn State. 

Arizona State, who topped Iowa State to win the Big 12 championship, were ranked seventh, moving up three spots from the previous poll. BYU jumped ahead of Iowa State to 13th with Colorado being the final league team coming in at No. 25. 

The Cyclones bumped up three spots after their win over Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Miami ended the season ranked 18th.

This is the fourth time in school history Iowa State has been ranked in the AP Poll Top 25 final edition. At 15th, this is the second-highest ranking for the Cyclones, who were ninth in 2020. 

Iowa State finished 19th in 1976 and was 25th in 2000.