Iowa State Cyclones Rightfully Viewed as Final Four Contender

Are the Iowa State Cyclones going to be a Final Four contender?

Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger reacts to an official in the first half of the NCAA Big 12 basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Iowa State Cyclones at Fifth Third Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the Iowa State Cyclones head toward February, the team has had a fantastic start to the season. Now, they will be hoping to continue that momentum and compete for a title. 

Through 20 games, the Cyclones have been able to prove that they are one of the best teams in college basketball this year. With an 18-2 record, they are currently ranked eighth in the country and have garnered a lot of attention nationally this campaign. 

Iowa State has been led by one of the best trios in the country, with Joshua Jefferson, Tamin Lipsey, and Milan Momcilovic all having fantastic seasons. These three have been some of the best players in the country overall this year, and it is no surprise to see that success translating into the win column. 

While this could very well be one of the best Iowa State teams in a long time, there is a lot of competition in the Big 12 and around the country. However, the Cyclones believe that they can contend. 

Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf of ESPN recently ranked 47 teams into tiers of their chances to win a National Title. The Cyclones came in the second tier as a title contender. 

Fair Placement for Iowa State

Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Being listed in the second tier feels like a fair landing spot for the Cyclones in the rankings. In tier one, it was the undefeated Arizona Wildcats, Michigan Wolverines, and UConn Huskies. It is hard to disagree that any of those teams shouldn’t be considered to be title favorites at this point. 

When looking at the Wildcats, they are undefeated still and have numerous wins against top opponents. The Cyclones and the Wildcats will meet up at the end of the year, and that will be a massive game for both programs right before the Big 12 tournament starts. 

In the second tier, along with Iowa State, were eight other teams, including the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Houston Cougars from the Big 12. With five teams overall in the top two tiers, the conference is going to have a strong chance of being able to cut down the nets in March. 

For Iowa State, competition feels really stiff this year, not only in their conference, but the nation overall. There are numerous teams that, as of now, can be seen as either a title contender or a title favorite. Fortunately, the Cyclones are one of them.