Rankings Iowa State Football’s Road Games From Easiest To Hardest

Who is the toughest opponent the Iowa State Cyclones will be facing on the road this upcoming season?

Iowa State Cyclones' special team Caden Kock (35) warms up before Iowa State and Arizona football in the Big-12 conference showdown on Sept. 27, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.a. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Over the offseason, the Iowa State Cyclones have done a solid job at rebuilding their program.

Even with tons of departures via the transfer portal, with 50+ players leaving, Iowa State has found a way to create a roster capable of a bowl game, and potentially even more.

One of the most important factors of success throughout the season is how a team performs on the road. And for the Cyclones, that’s certainly a key factor for this season.

Let’s rank the five away games for next season from easiest to hardest.

UCF Knights

Dec 3, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; General view of the UCF Knights helmet against the Tulane Green Wave during the first half at Yulman Stadium. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

UCF probably won’t be very scary next season. Over the last few years, the Knights haven’t had much success, and their 2026 roster doesn’t move the needle.

Alonza Barnett III will be tough to stop at quarterback, but that’s pretty much it. The biggest challenge with playing UCF isn’t the tough roster; it’s the travel.

Regardless, though, the Cyclones should be able to pull off the win on the road.

Baylor Bears

Baylor should be an intriguing game. Both teams are very similar in terms of their defensive solidity, as well as standout quarterbacks DJ Lagway and Jaylen Raynor. The Bears might get the slight edge over Iowa State, though, simply because they’re at home.

Iowa Hawkeyes

Oct 14, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; General view of an Iowa Hawkeyes helmet during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

In one of the biggest rivalries in the sport, the Cyclones and Hawkeyes will meet in Iowa City, IA, in Week 2. Iowa probably has the advantage, having a better roster and being at home, but Iowa State has proven that it can win anywhere in the state. This is definitely going to be a tough game, but a winnable one for sure.

Arizona Wildcats

Arizona is going to be really tough on the road. The Wildcats are similar to the Hawkeyes, but the Cyclones won’t have the rivalry magic they may have against Iowa either.

It’s also a tough flight away. Also, being right after a game against BYU, it’s going to be even tougher to win.

BYU Cougars

Sep 14, 2024; Laramie, Wyoming, USA; A general view of the Brigham Young Cougars helmet against the Wyoming Cowboys during the second quarter at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. | Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images

That takes us to the toughest road game of the season: BYU. The Cougars return a lot of star power on both offense and defense, and are looking to compete for the College Football Playoff.

Quarterback, the running backs and skill positions on offense are great, and their pass defense should be elite. BYU is definitely the better team and will be at home, providing a really tough test and a likely loss for Iowa State.