Jaylen Raynor Has Turned Corner for Iowa State Football

Jaylen Raynor is starting to find success with the Iowa State Cyclones.

Oct 3, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones offensive lineman Braden Smith (63) snaps the football to Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Jaylen Raynor (1) during the second half in their game with the West Virginia Mountaineers at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Iowa State Cyclones have had a fantastic start to the season and currently sit at 3-2.

They earned three wins against the West Virginia Mountaineers, Bowling Green Falcons, and Southeast Missouri State Redhawks, while falling to the Utah Utes and Iowa Hawkeyes, both ranked opponents. But while the team has been great, there is no doubt that it's been a really tough year for quarterback Jaylen Raynor.

Coming into the season, Raynor was projected to be the Cyclones best player. After three successful, consistent seasons with the Arkansas State Red Wolves, he was expected to come in and be a key piece in head coach Jimmy Rogers' system. But unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case.

Things did not start well for Raynor. He had just eight completions in his first game against SEMO, a look that has Iowa State fans slightly worried. Then, he had just 10 completions against Iowa in a game that was very winnable.

Jaylen Raynor producing more for Iowa State

Iowa State quarterback Jaylen Raynor (1) passes the ball against West Virginia during the third quarter of a Big 12 Conference football game on Oct. 3, 2026, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Even against Bowling Green, he couldn’t get it going, completing just 11 passes. In those first three games, he threw for just four touchdowns and ran in for two.

It definitely wasn’t the start people hoped for, and fans wondered whether it was time to bench him for backup Connor Moberly. But in Week 4, he proved why he is the leader of the team.

Raynor went 21-of-40 for 205 yards in the air, recording a touchdown through the air and on the ground, but he did throw two interceptions as well. He led a second-half comeback that helped the squad look like they had a chance to win.

📺 Game Five Highlights pic.twitter.com/RsWBQbdJpk

— Iowa State Football (@CycloneFB) October 4, 2026

Then, he backed it up with another great game. Against West Virginia, he went 19-for-27 for 264 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He helped the Cyclones to a 45-42 shootout victory, where he led the offense down the field numerous times in the fourth quarter to help the team regain the lead. He consistently found receivers like Cody Jackson, Dominic Oberby, and Omari Hayes to help move the ball all game.

Raynor certainly wasn’t what fans expected at the start of the year, but every single game he’s making improvements that make it seem like he’s more than just a poor starter - a guy who can actually lead a team to greatness.

Even with a team led by the run game, Raynor is starting to prove that the pass game can actually be a key in Iowa State’s offense, and this team can potentially be more than one-dimensional for the rest of the season.