2025 Iowa State Football Predictions: Cyclones Ranked 28th in RJ Young's Ultimate 136
Published
Aug. 10, 2025 8:46 p.m. ET
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This isn't your average college football ranking.
My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it's my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list:
Who do I think is good?
Why do I think they're good?
What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations?
Here is a look at where Iowa State lands in my Ultimate 136.
Iowa State ranking: 28
Last year's ranking: 25
Top player: QB Rocco Becht: Last season led Iowa State to 10 wins for the first time in program history; also had 4 fourth-quarter comebacks last season, tied for the second-most among Power 4 QBs.
[Iowa State's 2025 schedule]
RJ's take: While Indiana rightfully made itself known as the comeback story of 2024, all Matt Campbell and QB Rocco Becht did was lead the Cyclones to their best season in program history with 11 wins and their second appearance in the Big 12 title game in four years.
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Becht, who threw for 3,823 yards with 33 TDs, will be on the short list of players who can make a play for the league's best offensive player in 2025.
[Check out RJ Young's Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here]
Iowa State Win Total: Over 7.5 (+112) Under 7.5 (-138)
Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school's rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young , and I'll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young.
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