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Iowa State Cyclones Disrespected in Big 12 Men's Basketball Preseason Rankings

Originally posted on Iowa State Cyclones on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 6:05 PM ET

The Iowa State Cyclones have become a consistently productive team under the leadership of head coach T.J. Otzelberger.

Entering Year 5 at the helm, he has overseen four straight trips to the NCAA Tournament despite taking over a program that went 2-22 in the final season under Steve Prohm. Coming into the 2025-26 campaign, expectations are once again high.

The Cyclones should be ranked in the top 25 for the second straight year in the AP Preseason Poll. That has happened only one other time in program history, from 2014 through 2016.

To remain in the top 25 all season, Iowa State is going to face plenty of obstacles. Especially because they are being overlooked by some heading into the campaign.

One person who is underestimating the Cyclones is CJ Moore of The Athletic (subscription required). He recently shared his preseason power rankings for the Big 12 and has Iowa State way too low in the rankings.

Where did Iowa State men's basketball land in Big 12 preseason power rankings?

Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

They were placed at No. 6, behind the Houston Cougars, Arizona Wildcats, Texas Tech Red Raiders, BYU Cougars and Kansas Jayhawks. There are some incredibly talented teams in the conference, but the Cyclones should be higher in a preseason poll.

Being behind Houston is appropriate after they played for the national title last season. They are going to be ranked highly heading into this campaign.

Arizona and Texas Tech could very well be ranked ahead of Iowa State as well in the preseason top 25. The Red Raiders made it to the Elite Eight and warrant a spot near the top of the rankings.

The Wildcats, like the Cyclones, have a lot of continuity, by today’s standards of college basketball, returning to the squad. Listing them ahead is certainly an acceptable thing.

But Otzelberger’s group should be ranked No. 4, at the worst.

Iowa State placed too low in Big 12 power rankings

Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Name recognition and track record almost certainly played a part in Kansas being ranked ahead of them, but they haven’t gotten out of the first weekend in an NCAA Tournament since cutting down the nets in 2022. Iowa State has been to the Sweet 16 twice in those four years.

Expectations are sky high for BYU after landing star recruit, AJ Dybansta. The arrow is pointing up for the Cougars after advancing to the Sweet 16 last year, but an argument can be made that the Cyclones should be ahead of them until they prove it on the court.

Iowa State has an identity under Otzelberger as a hard-nosed, defensive-minded team. That isn’t going anywhere, and they have a Big 3 of Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson that can hang with anyone.

Being underestimated will just provide this group with another chip on its shoulder to use as motivation. There will be ample opportunities, both in the non-conference and Big 12 schedule, for them to prove they are being overlooked.