Iowa State Cyclones Move Up in AP Top 25 Poll With Duke Blue Devils Slipping Up

The Iowa State Cyclones were able to move up in the AP Top 25 thanks to a Duke Blue Devils loss

Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger calls a play during the second half against Long Beach State in the NCAA men’s basketball on Dec. 21, 2025, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Even though it was a quiet week for the Iowa State Cyclones with just one game on the schedule, they were able to move up in the AP Poll. 

With the holidays and the new year right around the corner for the Cyclones, the schedule has been on the lighter side. On Sunday, the team was able to pick up an easy 91-60 victory over the Long Beach State Beach. As expected, this was an easy win for the program, and they have just one game remaining before the start of 2026 and conference play. 

There have been some impressive wins on the resume for Iowa State so far this campaign, and in the loaded Big 12 conference, they will be playing challenging games on a weekly basis. Fortunately, the tough conference will have them battle-tested come March, and the team will be hopeful to remain a title contender like they are now. 

With the program exceeding all expectations, they are getting quite a bit of national recognition as well. Last week, they were ranked fourth in the AP Top 25. Now, they have moved up to third. 

Cyclones on the Climb

NEW: College Basketball AP Poll🏀https://t.co/zSJvye0x26 pic.twitter.com/nCarhoW6OU

— On3 (@On3sports) December 22, 2025

As one of the few undefeated teams left in the country, Iowa State was able to move up one spot with the Duke Blue Devils suffering their first loss of the year to the Texas Tech Red Raiders. In what was a fantastic game at Madison Square Garden, the Blue Devils blew a significant lead late to the Red Raiders and saw their undefeated start to the campaign come to an end. 

This was good news for Iowa State, who was able to move up a spot in the rankings. Ahead of the Cyclones once again are the Arizona Wildcats and the Michigan Wolverines. Both of these teams remain undefeated and have been playing some excellent basketball. 

While Iowa State won’t see Michigan this year unless their paths cross during March Madness, they will be playing the Wildcats at least once on March 2nd. This matchup is shaping up to be one of the most significant games of the season and could be an instant classic. 

For the Cyclones, finishing up the calendar year with a 13-0 record should be the immediate goal. Then, conference play will start on January 2nd, and the team will need to be prepared for challenging games week after week.