Iowa State Cyclones Basketball Has High Expectations for 2026-27 Campaign

Expectations are going to be high for the Iowa State Cyclones next season.

Mar 16, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones coach TJ Otzelberger holds up the net after the game against the Houston Cougars T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Iowa State Cyclones are heading into the 2026-27 season looking great. After three Sweet Sixteens in a span of five years, Iowa State is riding momentum, and looking for more this season.

Amongst the Big 12, the Cyclones are considered one of the contenders in the conference. They finished fifth last year, and should be around the same for the upcoming season. College basketball analyst Jeff Goodman of Field of 68 agrees.

On July 21st, Field of 68 released their Big 12 preseason rankings according to Goodman, and he had high praise for Iowa State.

The Cyclones are ranked fourth in the conference this season, just behind the Houston Cougars, Arizona Wildcats, and Kansas Jayhawks. The teams behind those four are the Texas Tech Red Raiders, West Virginia Mountaineers, Baylor Bears, BYU Cougars, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Arizona State Sun Devils, Cincinnati Bearcats, TCU Horned Frogs, Kansas State Wildcats, Colorado Buffaloes, UCF Knights, and Utah Utes.

Here’s @GoodmanHoops’ preseason Big 12 rankings!

Who’s too high and who’s too low? 🤔

🎥: https://t.co/9N67BWm1Yy pic.twitter.com/xFU1Ogjuop

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) July 21, 2026

Iowa State did lose a few pieces over the offseason, including their trio of Joshua Jefferson, Milan Momcilovic, and Tamin Lipsey. However, they did return a few players, as well as bring in some new talent in the transfer portal.

They return Killyan Toure, Jamarion Batemon, Blake Buchanan, and Dominykas Pleta from their eight-man rotation, while also bringing in five transfers and three freshmen. Those transfers are Jaquan Johnson from the Bradley Braves, Tre Singleton from the Northwestern Wildcats, Ryan Prather Jr. from the Robert Morris Colonels, Leon Bond III from the Northern Iowa Panthers, and Taj Manning from the Kansas State Wildcats. Their freshmen are Yusef Grey Jr., Dorian Rinaldo-Komlan, and Christian Wiggins, all ranked highly out of high school.

Based on the amount and quality of players they lost over the offseason, it is great to see analysts speak of the Cyclones so highly. It assures Iowa State fans that they have trust in T.J. Otzelberger, the depth and defense, and the entire program as a whole for the future.

The Cyclones' praise from Goodman is deserved. They are a well-oiled machine, and a defensive minded program that should strive off of togetherness and passion for the game. Fourth shouldn’t be just a goal now, but an expectation that they hope to surpass. Now the question is: Will they actually be able to win the Big 12 next season? Only time will tell whether Iowa State is able to make that leap next year under Otzelberger.