Rob Gray

Iowa State men’s basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger’s devotion to sharply defined daily habits places heavy demands on his players. This is how Otzelberger has built ISU’s program into a consistent winner that will likely be ranked in the preseason top 10.

Audi Crooks is one of four returning sophomores who stayed in tune during last season’s surprising surge, and as long as fifth-year senior point guard Emily Ryan’s serving as the group’s conductor, the Iowa State women’s basketball team will continue to hit high notes throughout a 2024-25 season brimming with big expectations.

Jontez Williams is one of five Iowa State defensive backs to snare at least one interception this season. The Cyclones’ ball-hawking identity is well-established.

No. 11 Iowa State is on a roll, but hits the road this week against a surging West Virginia team coming off a win at Oklahoma State. Here are five Mountaineers to watch against the Cyclones.

Cyclones are 5-0 and up to No. 11 in AP poll, but travel to ‘hornet’s nest’ this week at West Virginia

Iowa State is 5-0 for the first time in 44 years after Saturday’s 43-21 win over Baylor. The Cyclones overcame a spate of injuries during the game.

Iowa State will attempt to soar to 5-0 for the first time in nearly half a century, but the Cyclones’ goals spiral much higher on the program’s history chart.

All of Iowa State football’s lofty goals — including competing for a Big 12 title — remain fully in play, but a hiccup on Saturday night would temper those aspirations significantly. Here are three keys for the Cyclones against Baylor.

Iowa State defensive lineman J.R. Singleton entered the season with 3.5 career sacks, but he’s nearly doubled that number by striking for a team-leading three sacks in four games. The Cyclones are averaging 2.25 sacks after ranking 11th in the Big 12 in 2023 with an average of 1.62.

Jaylon Jackson’s quick-cutting speed has helped him carve out a role in Iowa State’s three-back rotation alongside Abu Sama and Carson Hansen. The two-time transfer has become the Cyclones’ most consistent back.

Here are five Baylor players to watch in Saturday’s game at Iowa State. QB Sawyer Robertson has filled in nicely for the Bears.

Iowa State seized control in the second half to record a convincing 20-0 victory at Houston. The Cyclones notched their fifth straight conference road victory dating back to last season — a feat never previously accomplished in program history.

Iowa State is convinced it can compete for and win a Big 12 football title — and losing to a Houston team firmly entrenched in rebuilding mode would greatly diminish any such hopes. Here are three keys for the Cyclones.

When the stars seemingly align early in a football season, it’s tantalizing for fans to look ahead. Iowa State is 3-0 for the second time in the past three seasons, but Matt Campbell and the Cyclones know there is no guarantee those stars stay aligned instead of falling from the sky.

Iowa State defensive lineman Domonique Orange tipped the scales at 350 pounds as a freshman. Now, as a junior “Big Citrus” weighs in at a relatively lithe 325 pounds, and he’s an interior anchor on an ISU defense that ranks ninth nationally in points allowed per game at 9.7.