Recent Football Commit Helps Bolster Iowa State Cyclones' 2026 Class

Where does the Iowa State Cyclones rank after a recent commit?

Aug 30, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell watches his team prepare for the South Dakota Coyotes at Jack Trice Stadium. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

As the Iowa State Cyclones try to make some improvements following two straight losses, the program has taken a significant hit in their standing both within the Big 12 and nationally. Despite a 5-2 overall record, the Cyclones recently dropped out of the AP Top 25 following a bad loss to the Colorado Buffaloes. 

The loss to the Buffaloes was their second straight defeat and the team has slid way down in the standings for the Big 12. It was just a couple weeks ago that Iowa State was being regarded as one of the best teams in the conference, but now they have some serious problems on their hands. 

While the loss to the Cincinnati Bearcats doesn’t feel as bad now that they are ranked in the Top 25, the loss to Colorado, who came into the game under .500 and without a win in the conference, was really poor. Now, the program will be trying to bounce back, following their bye, but they have recently received some good news. 

Iowa State was recently able to get a commitment from quarterback Kase Evans, who decommitted from the Oklahoma State Cowboys following the firing of Mike Gundy. The young quarterback is a talented prospect who can both throw and run the ball well. The comparisons will certainly be there between him and Rocco Becht, with the current signal caller being a dual-threat player. 

After losing a couple of key recruits in what was a brutal turn of events for the program, getting Evans to come in certainly helps soften that blow. Now, according to 247 Sports, the Cyclones have the 56th-ranked class in 2026. 

Cyclones Aiming for Top 50 Class

Thank you to everyone who has helped me reach my goals-beyond grateful! Fully committed to Iowa St!! #GoCyclones @CoachJWaters @ISUMattCampbell @T_Mouser @DerekHoodjer @CycloneFB @dctf @txqb @Coach_Stanfield @EricMooreCo @Jblake_8 pic.twitter.com/EOUvYk55Tx

— Kase Evans (@KaseEvans2026QB) October 12, 2025

While the commitment from Evans is a positive for the quarterback room, there is still some work to be done for Iowa State. The team would likely want to try and add both a linebacker and a wide receiver after recent decommits.  

Furthermore, considering the 2025 class finished with a ranking of 57th, pushing toward a Top 50 class in 2026 would be an excellent goal for Matt Campbell and the coaching staff. The most recent class that shined was from 2022 that featured players like Rocco Becht and Domonique Orange. It shows that a strong recruiting class can lead to success on the field, and the Cyclones will be trying to improve what has been a solid class by their standards so far.