Iowa State Cyclones Surprisingly Still Not Getting Proper Recognition

Despite a 5-0 record, the Iowa State Cyclones still aren't getting proper recognition

Iowa State cyclones football head coach Matt Campbell celebrates with team after score a touchdown against Arizona during the third quarter in the Big-12 conference showdown on Sept. 27, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are coming off a great win in Week 5 against the Arizona Wildcats and have moved to an impressive 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12 conference. With an undefeated record through five games as a Power Four school, the Cyclones would figure to be getting some respect as one of the top teams in the country. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. 

Things have gone really well for Iowa State so far this year, and Week 5 felt like their best performance of the campaign. The Cyclones were clicking on all cylinders, and the offense and defense both played exceptionally well. 

Despite the success against a quality opponent, Iowa State didn’t move in the AP Poll or a number of power rankings. This comes as a bit of a surprise with a number of the teams in front of them having one loss already and the Cyclones remaining undefeated. 

Heather Dinich of ESPN recently wrote about what the College Football Playoff would look like after Week 5, and surprisingly, the Cyclones were listed as a team that had work to do. 

Iowa State Still Not Garnering Respect

Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Seeing the Cyclones being named a team that still has work to do is quite surprising, considering they are undefeated with three wins now against Power Four schools. In Week 6, they will be heading on the road to face a talented Cincinnati Bearcats team, with the hope of moving to 6-0. 

Iowa State is a slight underdog in the game, and this could be one of their toughest matchups of the season so far. However, after the impressive win against Arizona, they should be feeling good about themselves and their outlook in the Big 12. 

It wasn’t too surprising to see that the Texas Tech Red Raiders were still being considered the team to beat in the conference. Their impressive victory over the Utah Utes on the road has really propelled them into the upper echelon of the conference and the favorite to win the Big 12. 

While the Cyclones might not yet have the signature win to their resume that the Red Raiders do, they have handled the teams on their schedule so far. In the coming weeks, the games will be getting more challenging for the program. However, Iowa State looked like a much-improved team as well in Week 5, and they will be seeking to build on that going forward.