Major college football program declines bowl game bid after losing head coach

The Iowa State Cyclones will not play a postseason bowl game after all.

Iowa State (8-4) has reportedly declined a bowl bid as the program moves immediately into a coaching transition that accelerated this week, multiple people familiar with the situation told On3.

The decision arrived after Matt Campbell accepted the Penn State job, and Iowa State named Washington State’s Jimmy Rogers to replace him.

The Sun Belt fined Marshall $100,000 after it withdrew from the Independence Bowl in 2024 because of a mass player exodus.

The Big 12 itself has fined member schools previously in 2025 for other infractions, so financial penalties or public reprimands are within the conference’s authority.

The Big 12 will formally review Iowa State’s decision and consult with bowl partners to determine a potential fine or punishment.

Iowa State turns down bowl bid, sources told @On3sports. Cyclones are 2nd Big 12 team that was bowl eligible that opted not to play & could be subject to a league fine, source saidhttps://t.co/oRbPrNx5PJ pic.twitter.com/e8uSvvxc2u
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 7, 2025

The Cyclones opened the 2025 season 5-0 and at one point reached the national rankings, but a four-game midseason slide pushed them off that path.

The team recovered with late wins over TCU, Kansas, and Oklahoma State and reached bowl eligibility with a 20-17 road victory at TCU on November 8.

The season finished at 8-4 overall and 5-4 in conference play.

Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht. — Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht (3) passes during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The reported decision to decline a bowl is tied directly to off-field upheaval.

Campbell’s move to Penn State and the subsequent arrival of Rogers left Iowa State confronting immediate questions about who would coach a bowl game, which assistants would stay for postseason preparation, and how roster availability might be affected amid late-season transfers and staff turnover.

Initial reporting cites those uncertainties, along with the program's desire to pivot quickly toward building for 2026, as the rationale for opting out.

This choice comes on the heels of a similar development earlier in the week: Kansas State, another bowl-eligible Big 12 team, informed the conference it would not accept a bowl invite.

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