Iowa State Cyclones See Massive Rise In Men's College Basketball Power Rankings

How high did the Iowa State Cyclones rise in the power rankings following a great week?

Dec 3, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger watches his team play the Alcorn State Braves during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones have been playing some excellent basketball, and with a couple of signature wins during Feast Week, the team is proving to be one of the best in the country. 

It has been a fantastic start for the Cyclones in the 2025-26 campaign. Through eight games, they are a perfect 8-0 and have started to build an impressive resume. During the Players Era Festival, Iowa State faced its first real test of the season against the St. John’s Red Storm. 

In what was a fantastic game that went right down to the wire, the Cyclones were able to come away with a one-point win. Considering the Red Storm has been regarded as one of the best teams in the country, this was the early statement that Iowa State needed. 

Furthermore, with impressive wins against both the Creighton Bluejays and the Syracuse Orange, the Cyclones proved that they were one of the best teams in Las Vegas during Feast Week. 

Jeff Borzello of ESPN recently wrote about the most recent college basketball power rankings. In the rankings, the Cyclones rightfully took a massive leap, going from 17th to 7th. 

Massive Jump Was Warranted

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After going 3-0 in Las Vegas with a win against a ranked opponent and then two convincing wins against other strong out-of-conference opponents, the 10-spot jump for Iowa State was certainly warranted. 

What was really impressive for the program was that they were able to sustain a high level of play this past week, even without their star guard, Tamin Lipsey. The guard was injured late in the game against St. John’s and then missed the following two matchups. 

That didn’t slow down the Cyclones, who saw some other players step up. One of the players who rose to the occasion was senior forward Joshua Jefferson. The talented senior was able to have a fantastic week and was named the Big 12 Player of the Week thanks to his performance. 

Jefferson was able to showcase a lot of his skills with Lipsey out. The offense ran through him a bit more, and he proved that he can be an excellent passer in addition to his scoring and rebounding prowess. 

Next up for the Cyclones will be arguably their toughest test of the year on the road against the Purdue Boilermakers. The Boilermakers are one of the best teams in the country, and one of these teams will be undefeated no longer following the matchup on Saturday.