Loss to Cincinnati Bearcats Will Have Major Ramifications for Iowa State Cyclones

Does the loss to the Cincinnati Bearcats end the Iowa State Cyclones' postseason hopes?

Oct 4, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht (3) is helped off the field during a stop in play against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half at Nippert Stadium. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones knew that they were going to be in for a challenging game against the Cincinnati Bearcats on the road, and that proved to be true. In their first conference road game of the season, the Cyclones came up short, suffering their first loss of the year. 

Even though it has been a great campaign for Iowa State so far, they came into the matchup against the Bearcats short-handed in the secondary which seemingly hurt their defense overall. With a need to try and cover up some of the issues in the secondary, it was actually the ground game of Cincinnati that punished the Cyclones in this one. 

While Iowa State figured to have the edge in this game from a physical standpoint, it was Cincinnati who punched them in the face with some bruising runs throughout the game. Even though it is just their first loss of the year, this one could come back to haunt the Cyclones. 

Loss Could Cripple CFP Chances

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Coming into the game, Iowa State hasn’t received a ton of recognition for their undefeated record so far. Despite some wins against Power Four opponents, the Cyclones were ranked 14th in the nation, with numerous teams ahead of them in the polling already having a loss. 

With their first loss of the season to a now unranked opponent, this could be a crippling blow for their positioning in the AP Poll on Sunday. Iowa State will undoubtedly see a drop in the 20s following the loss, and this will be a blow to their CFP resume. 

So far, the Big 12 conference hasn’t received a lot of respect compared to the other Power Four conferences. The Texas Tech Red Raiders are currently the highest ranked team in the AP Poll, but even they aren’t in the Top 10.

While the loss isn’t a season-ender to their chances of making the CFP, it is a significant blow. With a loss to the Bearcats, an at-large bid will become increasingly difficult, putting even more pressure on the program to try and win the Big 12. However, with their first conference loss of the year as well, making the Big 12 title game has become more difficult as well. 

Overall, it is a frustrating loss for the Cyclones, who got off to an abysmal start and simply made too many mistakes in this game. With a couple of more injuries popping up for the program, they will need to bounce back in Week 7.