Iowa State Cyclones Finish Strong in Recent College Football Power Rankings

The Iowa State Cyclones were able to finish strong in a recent college football power rankings

Nov 9, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Iowa State Cyclones helmets on the bench during the first quarter against the Kansas Jayhawks at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones were able to secure their eighth win of the season in Week 14 against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Fortunately, the program has finished the year strong. 

It has certainly been an interesting campaign for the Cyclones in 2025. This was a team that started off the season as one of the best teams in the country, only to see themselves then lose four straight games. This sent Iowa State plummeting in the rankings, and they have just started to recover. 

Thanks to three straight wins, the team has been able to salvage the year, and an 8-4 regular season record doesn’t look bad. However, it’s impossible not to think about what could have been for the program if a couple of things had gone differently. 

As the team awaits their bowl matchup, it is going to be an interesting couple of weeks leading up to the question of which players will be staying, and which will be leaving. Head coach Matt Campbell runs a very consistent program, and the hope will be that he can retain most of the roster. However, while the coaching staff works through that, they have to be pleased with the ending of the campaign. 

Chris Vannini of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the Cyclones moving up four spots in their power rankings from 35th to 31st following a win in Week 14 against the Cowboys. 

Iowa State Finishing Strong 

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After four straight losses and seeing their dreams of making a Big 12 title game disappear, Iowa State could have easily given up on the year. However, this was a team that was able to pull off a road upset against the TCU Horned Frogs to start their modest three-game winning streak. 

With the team securing their eighth win, they are certainly deserving of moving up in the rankings, and they got right on the doorstep of the Top 25. With a plethora of 8-4 teams from Power Four conferences surrounding them in the rankings, the Cyclones should be pleased with what seems like a fair ranking. 

While the team being ranked at 31st feels fair, this campaign could have been a lot more. Of their four losses, the one to the Colorado Buffaloes, who had a terrible year overall, really stands out as one that held the program back. If not for that loss, they more than likely would have been a Top 25 team to end the year.