What Iowa State's Jimmy Rogers said about facing No. 15 Utah in Big 12 opener

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Iowa State came into the 2026 football season being projected as the worst team in the Big 12. All things considered, anything less than a last-place finish would be a win for the Cyclones. Matt Campbell took the program to new heights before exiting to Penn State during the offseason.

Now Jimmy Rogers takes on the task of a total rebuild. The former Washington State coach didn’t have much to work with either. Campbell took a ton of talent to State College, leading just over 20 scholarship players on the roster. This will be a multi-year process, but Rogers is willing to make it happen.

The 15th-ranked Utah Utes roll into Iowa State this Saturday. The Utes' Big 12 opener comes on the road this season with the perfect setup for a trap game at Jack Trice Stadium. Morgan Scalley knows his team can't overlook the Cyclones in this matchup. Especially after ISU played No. 17 Iowa so close in the 16-13 loss.

Rogers is ready for a battle with the Utes' and wants to make a statement early.

“There’s a chess match, and we’re not going to be perfect in this game, but we got to be able to respond when they make plays," Rogers told reporters this week. "We also have to keep our focus when we make plays. It will be a 60-minute game. Our guys know that. It will be extremely physical, and we’re excited about Big 12 play."

Rogers and his staff have seen Kevin McGiven's offensive scheme on tape and dealing with the option sets between quarterbacks Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin could be one of the best in the country. Two pure athletes out on the field at the same time, and either can break off a massive run down the field. The goal for Iowa State is to avoid anything extra.

“We got to do a good job of not losing our eyes and playing sound,” Rogers said. "At any moment, what they are playing right now is one guy gets it, it doesn’t mean that he’s ending with it. So it makes you have to be sound."

Rogers understands the formation, but stopping any one of the Utes' playmakers will be tough. This speaks volumes to what McGiven brought over from Utah State and how he's deploying it with Dampier and Ficklin.

“It’s a really, really good football team," Rogers added. ”One interesting wrinkle that the Utes have put on film early in the season is a “no quarterback” look with a completely empty backfield. Eventually, either a quarterback or a running back motions over to take the snap, but it’s just another in a long line of looks opponents have to prepare for."

McGiven’s offense comes with many different looks, which puts opponents on their heels trying to make a play. At times, the Utes' line up in a six-open formation, and then they motion a guy back in. Being able to predict who the quarterback will be is key. Not to mention, there is also a triple option look with Utah's tight ends. Iowa State will have to have the right coverage and will have to be able to win one-on-one on the perimeter.

Utah’s creative offense gets a ton of praise. But the defense has also stepped up to the plate this season. The Utes rank in the top 15 nationally in points allowed and total yards allowed. If Iowa State is going to be successful against Utah, the effort has to come on both sides of the ball with no errors.

Rogers called Utah's defense “real physical, extremely fast, well coached, (and) gap sound.” He went on to say, "They do a really good job from the top-down tackling in space. Their D line does a phenomenal job of winning a one-on-one pass rush. They’re big, they’re strong, and they have a great unit. They’re well coached. Coach Scalley does a great job. You can see that over the years of what they’ve been able to do just on that side of the ball, and they look very similar to every year that I’ve ever watched Utah play.”

Iowa State has a stout defense that ranks in the top 30 nationally in total yards allowed. ISU quarterback Jaylen Raynor transferred from Arkansas State during the offseason. He hasn’t needed to take over in a game with 544 yards and six total touchdowns. The rushing attack around him has done the job, with a total of Aiden Flora carrying the load (328 yards, 3 TDs) through three games.

No. 15 Utah travels to Iowa State on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX).