AMES — You can never say never, but after Iowa State football’s third straight loss, a return trip to Arlington and the Big 12 Conference championship game is unlikely.
The Cyclones (5-3, 2-3 Big 12 Conference) are currently tied for ninth out of 16 teams in conference standings heading into their Nov. 1 home game against Arizona State. BYU and Cincinnati, who remain perfect in Big 12 play, are holding the top spots.
It’s a bitter dose of reality, especially after Iowa State made a Big 12 title game appearance and won 11 games last season. The 2025 season started with plenty of promise as the Cyclones got out to a 5-0 start, including marquee victories over rivals Kansas State and Iowa, before a recent downturn.
As Iowa State tries to regroup and stop the losing skid, what has become the Cyclones’ new big picture goal? If it’s not the Big 12 title game, what becomes the Cyclones’ new ambition?
“It’s a game that we wanted to play in this year for sure, so for us, for the fans, for everyone — obviously, it sucks,” said tight end Gabe Burkle. “But, we have a lot of football left to play, a lot of seniors on this team that we want to play for, a lot of great accomplishments that we can still have this season.”
On a team that preaches “mudita,” a Sanskrit word and Buddhist concept that refers to sympathetic or appreciative joy for others’ success, the Cyclones have found purpose in sending their seniors off on a high note.
Iowa State still needs at least one more victory to be bowl eligible, an opportunity that seems more than obtainable when they play bottom-of-the-conference Oklahoma State to end the regular season. However, the Cyclones aren’t content with just getting the bare minimum. They hope to get a couple more wins with Arizona State, Kansas and TCU also remaining on the schedule.
A random bowl game appearance might be a step below the higher expectations set earlier in the year, but the Cyclones would have the opportunity to win back-to-back bowl games for the first time in program history.
Before last year’s Pop-Tarts Bowl win, the Cyclones had won five other bowl games in program history, dating back to their first-ever bowl appearance in 1971. They have never been able to follow up a victory with another bowl game win the following year.
Bowl games aside, Iowa State is playing for pride and hoping to end the three-game losing streak. This marks the first time the Cyclones have lost three straight since the 2022 season, when they finished 4-8 overall.
“It’s different,” said safety Jamison Patton. “It’s never happened. I’m not familiar with it, but it’s another challenge. I wouldn’t go through this challenge with anybody else but this team. I got full confidence in our team that we’re going to bounce back, get back on track and it’s just playing for the guy next to you.”
It’s a tough final stretch for the Cyclones, but head coach Matt Campbell is more focused on the week-to-week than the end of the season.
“I don’t think we’ve ever sat there and worried about end results, we’ve worried about the moment and how do we do a great job in the moment?” Campbell said. “We’ll define our football team, positives and minuses, at the end of the season, when you can sit back and reflect on all those things, but I think you put your head down, you go to work and the results will come as we continue to improve and get ourselves better. That’s really been our approach. It’s always been our approach.”
Resignation and rolling over aren’t options, though. The big shiny trophy might be virtually off the table, but Iowa State doesn’t plan on giving up or going away quietly.
“The hard times make the good times better at Iowa State and the journey is what’s always made this place really, really special,” said Cyclones offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser. “I know there will be fruits at some point that we get to enjoy and they’re going to feel better because of the hard times. We’re not a group that feels sorry for ourselves here, and it’s never going to be that way.”
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: With Big 12 title game unlikely, what is Iowa State football’s big goal for 2025?
Reporting by Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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