Iowa State Cyclones' football head coach Matt Campbell reacts during the first quarter game against Arizona in the Big-12 conference showdown on Sept. 27, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa. Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iowa State Cyclones' Identity is Fairly Clear After Successful First Month

Originally posted on Iowa State Cyclones on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Oct 3, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The Iowa State Cyclones have officially finished the first month of the college football season, and the team must be very pleased with how things have gone. Even though their first game of the season came in Ireland before September started in Week 0, the team played three games last month and won them all.

With a 5-0 record and 2-0 record, there is a lot to like about the direction of the program. In September, they were able to pick up three wins, starting with a victory against their rival the Iowa Hawkeyes. Earning a win out of their conference against a Big 10 school is not only good for the Cyclones’ resume, but the rest of the Big 12 as well.

Furthermore, the following week was a bit trickier with their fourth game in as many weeks against the Arkansas State Red Wolves in their first road game of the year. With temperatures on the field being over 100 degrees, it was a much more challenging game than the team had envisioned.

After a bye week, the team came back in Week 5 with an impressive home victory against the Arizona Wildcats. This was their second conference win of the month, and with a full month of football under their belts, this is a team that has established their identity. David Kenyon of Bleacher Report recently wrote about Iowa State proving to be a physical team in the first month of the season.

Cyclones’ Identity is Clear

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

While Iowa State might have had a massive 39-point outburst against the Wildcats in Week 5, this is a team that wants to control the game in the trenches and run the football effectively. So far, the rushing attack has been a bit inconsistent, but there have been some encouraging signs of improvement in the last couple of weeks.

Carson Hansen has taken over as the clear-but lead back for the team, with Abu Sama III being a great complement for him. In his last two games, Hansen has totaled 179 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. The workload for the junior running back has certainly increased, and the team will undoubtedly be leaning on him in Week 6 on the road as well.

Furthermore, some of that physicality that the Cyclones bring to the table comes from their quarterback as well. Rocco Becht isn’t afraid to put his head down for the extra yard, proving that this is a tough and physical team from top to bottom.