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Iowa State Cyclones Fall Multiple Spots in Most Recent Ap Poll Rankings

Originally posted on Iowa State Cyclones on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Iowa State Cyclones didn’t take the field in Week 4, being idle for the first time in the 2025 college football season.

Being on bye ended up costing the team. In the most recent AP Poll, the Cyclones have dropped from No. 12 to No. 14. That was a theme across the rankings this week, with multiple idle teams seeing their numbers change for the worse.

The Penn State Nittany Lions didn’t play and went from No. 2 to No. 3. Iowa State is now occupying the spot that was previously held by the Alabama Crimson Tide, who also were idle and fell to No. 17. Evidently, not even winning guarantees that a team will head in the right direction in the early going of the year.

Iowa State One of Several Idle Teams To Drop in Rankings

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The LSU Tigers, who entered the week ranked No. 3, dropped to No. 4 despite winning 56-10 over Southeast Louisiana. Jumping up to the No. 2 spot, leading to LSU and Penn State dropping, is the Miami (FL) Hurricanes. The Florida State Seminoles, who defeated the Kent State Golden Flashes, and Texas Longhorns, who defeated the Sam Houston State Bearkats, dropped to No. 8 and No. 10, respectively.

One shakeup that the Cyclones were paying close attention to was the big-time matchup between the No. 17 Texas Tech Red Raiders and No. 16 Utah Utes. A major Big 12 matchup ended up with the Red Raiders winning in blowout fashion on the road, 34-10. That led to the Utes dropping out of the rankings while Texas Tech moved up to No. 12, taking over the spot Iowa State held going into Week 4.

Another interesting development from these updated rankings is that the Big 12 looks a little stronger. The Cyclones’ schedule now features two more ranked opponents. The BYU Cougars and TCU Horned Frogs are both making their debuts in the top 25 after impressive victories.

Big 12 Well Represented in Newest AP Poll

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The Cougars, who will face Iowa State on Oct. 25, went on the road to face the East Carolina Pirates. They came away with a 34-13 victory and took over the No. 24 spot in the rankings. BYU will head on the road to face the Colorado Buffaloes in Week 5.

TCU got its season off on the right foot, ruining the collegiate debut of Bill Belichick while routing the North Carolina Tar Heels 48-14. Another impressive victory was had in Week 4, defeating the SMU Mustangs 35-24. That was a big game given where the Mustangs finished in the College Football Playoff last season. The win moved them to No. 25 in the rankings.

Checking in at 14

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— Iowa State Football (@CycloneFB) September 21, 2025

Heading into Week 5 play, there are now four Big 12 teams ranked in the top 25. Only the SEC with 10 and the Big Ten with seven have more teams currently ranked. The Cyclones will be looking to cement their status as a top 25 team, facing off against the undefeated Arizona Wildcats this upcoming weekend at Jack Trice Stadium.