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To say Iowa State is an inexperienced football team would be an understatement. 

Matt Campbell completely gutted an 8-4 roster when he left for Penn State last December, with the mass exodus including stars like quarterback Rocco Becht and tight end Benjamin Brahmer. 

New head coach Jimmy Rogers was hired on the same day Campbell's departure was reported, but even he probably wasn't completely prepared for the massive rebuilding job that was ahead. 

Rogers gained a boost when a few key returners decided to remain loyal to the Cyclones, but for the most part, he would have to rebuild the roster from scratch. Of the 126 players Iowa State has on its 2026 roster, 83 of them are new to the program. 

The heavy roster turnover has certainly been a difficult grasp for the Cyclone coaching staff, fans, and media members alike, but the new team can also throw a monkey wrench into the opposing team's game plan. It's common for coaches to struggle to find quality tape of their opponents in September, but that process is even harder when the said team has brought in players from all over the country. 

The challenge of preparing for Iowa State now falls on Kirk Ferentz's Iowa Hawkeyes, who will renew their long-standing rivalry with the Cyclones at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday (6:30 p.m., NBC).

But how will Iowa manage to do it? Ferentz provided some insight on how it can be done during his weekly press conference on Sept. 8. 

While Iowa State's 38-10 victory over Southeast Missouri State in its season opener was the expected result and was probably far from a finished product, having at least one game on film is a boost for Ferentz and his staff. There they can analyze formations, cadences, and any wrinkles Rogers and Co. might add during a game. 

"Didn't have that [the game film on Northern Illinois] last week, so that's at least better. Once we get to October, that won't be an issue anymore," Ferentz said. 

Having some idea of what this Cyclone team could look like is important, but the primary thing Ferentz points out is that while Iowa State's entire defense is new, the personnel is identical to what Rogers had at Washington State last year. 

Defensive lineman and co-team captain Max Baloun has been with Rogers since the 2020 season when both were still at South Dakota State, while others like talented young safety Duhron Goodman and linebacker Sullivan Schlimgen have experience in Rogers' system. On the coaching side, defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit has led Rogers' defenses since 2023. 

"A little bit like last week, a lot of new faces to try to piece together, looking at their roster, and a little bit like last weekend that at least from a schematic standpoint I think we have a decent feel for what to expect — although it's still early season, so you never know 100% what it's going to look like," Ferentz said. 

The Cyclones don't have nearly as many WSU transfers on offense, but having some familiarity with Iowa State's defense could be crucial for Iowa, which is looking for Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski to continue to push the football down the field. 

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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at bradschultz@roundtable.io

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